Ballad Of Billy The Kid

by Billy Joel
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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

Ballad Of Billy The Kid by Billy Joel

4 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of G at 80 BPM. Difficulty: advanced. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

About “Ballad Of Billy The Kid

What key is "Ballad Of Billy The Kid" in?
"Ballad Of Billy The Kid" by Billy Joel is in the key of G with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: advanced.
Is "Ballad Of Billy The Kid" easy to play on piano?
This arrangement is rated advanced. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "Ballad Of Billy The Kid" without reading sheet music?
Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
What chords are used in "Ballad Of Billy The Kid"?
This arrangement of "Ballad Of Billy The Kid" uses 14 chords: Am7, Bm, C, D, D7, D9, Dm7, Dm9, +6 more.
How long does it take to learn "Ballad Of Billy The Kid" on piano?
2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
What other songs by Billy Joel can I play here?
Try "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT", "EVERYBODY HAS A DREAM", "CAPTAIN JACK". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

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