Other arrangements of Authority Song
Pick a learning view.
They like to get you in a (G)com pro (A)mis in’ po si tion.
He said, They like to get you there and smile to in your face.
They think they’re so cute when they (G)got you in (A)that con di tion,
but I think it’s a to like (A)tal dis grace.
And I (A)say: I fight au thor i ty.
Au (G)thor i ty (A)al ways wins.
Well, I fight au thor i ty.
Au (G)thor i ty (A)al ways wins.
Well, I been (D)do in’ it since I was a (G)young kid, and (A)I’ve come out grin nin’.
Well, I fight au thor i ty.
Au (G)thor i ty (A)al ways wins.
I call up my preach er.
I say, (G)“Give me (A)strength for Round Five.” tion.
He said, “You don’t to need no strength.
You need to grow up, son.”
I said, “Grow in’ up leads to (G)grow in’ old (A)and to dy in’,
and dy in’ to don’t sound like (A)all much fun.”
So I (A)say: I fight au thor i ty.
Au (G)thor i ty (A)al ways wins.
Well, I fight au thor i ty.
Au (G)thor i ty (A)al ways wins.
Well, I been (D)do in’ it since I was a (G)young kid, and (A)I’ve come out grin nin’.
Well, I fight au thor i ty.
Au (G)thor i ty (A)al ways wins.
I call
I say oh no
no no.
I say oh no
no no.
I say oh no
no no no.
Authority Song — Classic Piano Sheet Music
Read "Authority Song" by John Mellencamp in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of D. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 120 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Authority Song”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Authority Song"?
- Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature D. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Authority Song" by John Mellencamp played in?
- Authority Song is arranged in the key of D on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Authority Song"?
- The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Authority Song" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Authority Song"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Authority Song"?
- "Authority Song" was originally performed by John Mellencamp. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Authority Song"?
- This arrangement uses 4 chords: A, C, D, G. Only a handful of chords — beginner-friendly.
- What other songs by John Mellencamp can I play here?
- Try "I NEED A LOVER", "RAIN ON THE SCARECROW", "CHECK IT OUT". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Authority Song" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature D, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
- What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
- Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
- Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
- Yes — slow the tempo from 120 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
- Why can I click a note in the score?
- Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
- Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
- Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.