Other arrangements of Back On The Chain Gang
Pick a learning view.
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 — Classic Piano Sheet Music
4 people have learned this song
Read "Back On The Chain Gang" by The Pretenders 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 135 BPM.
Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.
Try other practice modes:
About “Back On The Chain Gang”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Back On The Chain Gang"?
- 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 "Back On The Chain Gang" by The Pretenders played in?
- Back On The Chain Gang 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 "Back On The Chain Gang"?
- The arrangement plays at 135 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Back On The Chain Gang" easy to play on piano?
- This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
- Can I download sheet music for "Back On The Chain Gang"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Back On The Chain Gang"?
- "Back On The Chain Gang" was originally performed by The Pretenders. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Back On The Chain Gang"?
- This arrangement uses 11 chords: A, A7, Amaj7, B, D, Dm, E, Em, +3 more.
- 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 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 — "Back On The Chain Gang" 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 135 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.