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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 — Classic Piano Sheet Music
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Read "Ball And Chain" by Janis Joplin 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 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”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Ball And Chain"?
- 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 "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 this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Ball And Chain" 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 90 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.