Other arrangements of Back When
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Don’t you re mem ber
the (D)fizz and in the Pep per,
(Am)pea nuts in a bot tle
at (G)ten, they two and (D)four?
A (G)fried bo log na sand wich
with (D)ma yo and to ma to,
(Am)sit tin’ ’round the ta ’n’ ble don’t (G)hap pen much an y more.
We’ve got ten too com pli cat ed, it’s all put way o ver rat ed.
I like the old and out dat ed way of the way (D)life.
it was back then.
Back when a (D)hoe was a hoe,
(C)Coke was a Coke
and (G)crack’s what you were do in’
when you were crack in’ (D)jokes.
Back when a screw was a screw,
the (C)wind was all that blew
and (G)when you said, “I’m down with that,” well, it meant you had the flu.
I miss back (Am)when,
I miss back (C)when,
I miss back (G)when.
I love my rec ords,
the (D)black and shin y vi nyl,
(Am)clicks and pops and white noise,
at (G)man, they sound ed (D)fine.
I (G)had my fav ’rite sta tions,
the (D)ones that played ’em all, to,
(Am)coun try, soul and rock ’n’ roll, what (G)hap pened much to those times?
I’m read in’ “Street Slang For Dum mies” ’cause they put pop in my coun try.
I want the more for my mon ey, way of the way (D)life.
it was back then.
Back when a (D)hoe was a hoe,
(C)Coke was a Coke
and (G)crack’s what you were do in’
when you were crack in’ (D)jokes.
Back when a screw was a screw,
the (C)wind was all that blew
and (G)when you said, “I’m down with that,” well, it meant you had the flu.
I miss back (Am)when,
I miss back (C)when,
I miss back (G)when.
(G)when.
Give me a flat top for strum min’, I want a old Wur ly hum min’.
Oh, just keep it com in’ the way it was back then.
Back when a (G)when,
I miss back (Am7)when,
I miss back (C)when.
Back When — Classic Piano Sheet Music
3 people have learned this song
Read "Back When" by Tim McGraw in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of G. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 132 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 When”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Back When"?
- 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 G. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Back When" by Tim McGraw played in?
- Back When is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Back When"?
- The arrangement plays at 132 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Back When" 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 When"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Back When"?
- "Back When" was originally performed by Tim McGraw. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Back When"?
- This arrangement uses 8 chords: A, A7, Am, Am7, C, D, Em, G.
- What other songs by Tim McGraw can I play here?
- Try "HIGHWAY DON'T CARE", "SUSPICIONS", "LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING". 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 When" 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 G, 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 132 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.