Other arrangements of Ball And Chain
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Sit tin’ by my win dow,
and I was look in’ out (D7)at the rain.
I said, Sit tin’ by my win dow, ba by,
and I was sit tin’ there look in’ out at the rain.
You know you some thin’ struck me,
clamped on to me just (D7)like a...
just like a ball mis and chain.
I said, oh, oh, by my ba by,
why you wan na do these (D7)ol’ mean things?
I said, Sit oh, by my oh, dow, ba by,
why you wan na do these ol’ mean things at to me?
Be cause you know I love you,
and I’m so sick and (D7)tired a...
of liv in’ in mis er y.
I said, (A7)I said that love’s gon na last with you for ev er,
it’s gon na last.
I said it’s gon na last,
oh, great God Al might y,
for all e ter ni ty,
(G7)Whoa, (D7)yeah.
Ball And Chain — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
9 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Ball And Chain" by Janis Joplin: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of D, 90 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 “Ball And Chain”
- What key is "Ball And Chain" by Janis Joplin played in?
- Ball And Chain 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 "Ball And Chain"?
- The arrangement plays at 90 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Ball And Chain" 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 "Ball And Chain"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Ball And Chain"?
- "Ball And Chain" was originally performed by Janis Joplin. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Ball And Chain"?
- This arrangement uses 5 chords: A7, C, D, D7, G7.
- What other songs by Janis Joplin can I play here?
- Try "ME AND BOBBY McGEE", "LITTLE GIRL BLUE", "PIECE OF MY HEART". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Ball And Chain" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Ball And Chain" by Janis Joplin. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "Ball And Chain" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in D, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "Ball And Chain" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.


