I found a (A)pic ture of you.
trol.
(Gmaj7)Oh.
What hi jacked my world news that night
to a place in the past like a we’ve been cast out of?
(Gmaj7)Oh.
Threw sand in our eyes Now we’re back in the fight.
Put We’re back on the train.
(Em)Oh,
back on the chain gang.
A cir cum (A)stance be yond our trol.
(Gmaj7)Oh.
The phone, T V and news of the
to a Got in the house like a pi geon from out hell.
(Gmaj7)Oh.
Threw sand in our eyes and de scend ed like flies.
Put us back on the train.
(Em)Oh,
back on the chain gang.
(Em)Oh,
back on the chain gang.
The (A7)pow ers that be
that (A7)force us to live like we do
(A7)bring me to my knees
when I (A7)see what they’ve done to you.
But I’ll (A7)die as I stand here to day,
(A7)know ing that deep in my heart
(A7)they’ll fall to ru in one (Dm)day
for (A7)mak ing us part.
I found a (B)pic ture of you.
(Amaj7)Oh.
Those were the hap pi est days of my life.
Like a break in the bat tle was your part,
(Amaj7)oh,
in the wretch ed life of a lone ly heart.
Now we’re back on the train.
(A)Oh,
back on the chain gang.
Back On The Chain Gang by The Pretenders
Easy piano arrangement in the key of D at 135 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
About “Back On The Chain Gang”
- What key is "Back On The Chain Gang" in?
- "Back On The Chain Gang" by The Pretenders is in the key of D with a tempo of 135 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
- Is "Back On The Chain Gang" easy to play on piano?
- This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
- Can I play "Back On The Chain Gang" without reading sheet music?
- Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
- What chords are used in "Back On The Chain Gang"?
- This arrangement of "Back On The Chain Gang" uses 11 chords: A, A7, Amaj7, B, D, Dm, E, Em, +3 more.
- How long does it take to learn "Back On The Chain Gang" on piano?
- 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
- What other songs by The Pretenders can I play here?
- Try "I'LL STAND BY YOU", "MIDDLE OF THE ROAD", "BRASS IN POCKET". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
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