Learn "BALLAD OF BILLY THE KID" by Billy Joel on Piano

Master "BALLAD OF BILLY THE KID" by Billy Joel with our interactive piano player. This medium-level Pop arrangement is in the key of G at 80 BPM, making it a great challenge for intermediate piano players.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement at 80 BPM.

Lyrics

From a (G)town known as Wheel ing, West Vir gin ia rode a (G)boy with a six gun in his hand And his (G)dar ing life of crime made him a (F)leg end in his time (G)east and west of the Ri o Grande Well, he (G)start ed with a bank in (Em7)Col o ra do, in the (G)pock et of his vest a (Em7)Colt he hid. And his (G)age and his size took the (F)tell er by sur prise (G)and the word spread of Bil ly the Kid. Well, he (C)nev er trav elled heav y, yes, he (Em)al ways rode a lone, and he (C)soon put man y old er guns to shame. Well, he (C)nev er had a sweet heart, and he (Em)nev er had a home, but the (C)cow boy and the ranch er knew his name. Well, he (G)robbed his way from U tah to (Em7)O kla ho ma, and the (G)law just (G)could not seem to track him (F)down. And it (G)served his (G)leg end well, for the (F)folks they love to tell (G)’bout when Bil ly the Kid came to town. Well, (G)one cold (G)day a pos se (Em7)cap tured Bil ly, and the (G)judge said, “String ’im up for (Em7)what he did.” And the (G)cow boys (G)and their (Em7)kin like the (F)sea came pour in’ in to (G)watch the hang in’ of Bil ly the Kid. Well, he (C)nev er trav elled heav y, yes, he al ways rode a lone, and he (C)soon put man y old er guns to shame. And he (C)nev er had a sweet heart, but he (Em)fi n’lly found a home un der (C)neath the boot hill grave that bears his name. From a (G)town known as Oy ster Bay, Long (F)Is land rode a (G)boy with a six pack in his hand. And his (G)dar ing life of crime made him a (F)leg end in his time (G)east and west of the Ri o Grande

Song Details

Category
Pop
Key
G
Tempo
80 BPM
Difficulty
medium

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How to Play "Ballad Of Billy The Kid" on Piano

  1. 1
    Pick a practice mode — Choose from Fall Down, Beginner, Lead Sheet, Bar Sheet, or Simple Sheet — each mode visualizes the music differently to match your learning style.
  2. 2
    Practice each hand separately — Use the Left, Right, and Both buttons to isolate the bass or treble part and build muscle memory one hand at a time.
  3. 3
    Adjust speed and turn on metronome — Slow down to 50% while learning, then gradually speed up. Enable the metronome to keep steady timing.
  4. 4
    Loop a section — Select a tricky part and loop it until you nail it. Perfect for mastering difficult passages.
  5. 5
    Download sheet music — Export a PDF of the sheet music to print out and practice on your real piano anytime, anywhere.