Beale Street Blues

by Duke Ellington
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Lyrics

You’ll (C)see pret ty browns in beau ti ful gowns, you’ll see (Am)tail or mades and their (G)hand (D7)me (G)downs.

(G)You’ll (C)meet hon est men and (F)pick pock ets skilled.

You’ll (Abdim)find that (C)bus ’ness nev er clos es till some bod y gets sa (C)killed.

You’ll (C)see Hog Nose res and chit lin’ ca fés, you’ll see (Am)jugs that tell of their (G)by (D7)gone (G)days and (C)plac es, once plac es, (F)now just a sham, you’ll (Abdim)see the (C)Gold en Balls e nough to pave the New Je ru sa (C)lem.

If sings the Beale Street (C)Blues.

I’d rath er (F)be here,

than an y place I (F)know.

I’d (F7)rath er (Bb)be here

than an y place I (F)know.

It’s goin’ to (C7)take the ser geant and for to make me (F)go.

Goin’ to the (F)riv er,

than may be, bye and (F)bye.

Goin’ (F7)to the (Bb)riv er,

than there’s a rea son (F)why.

Be cause the (C7)riv er’s wet geant and Beale Street’s done gone (F)dry.

Goin’ to the

Beale Street Blues — Visual Piano Sheet Music

1 person has learned this song

"Beale Street Blues" in visual bar notation — see every note as a colored bar on the staff. Easier to read than traditional sheet music. Scrolls automatically as you play. Key of C, 100 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “Beale Street Blues

Why does "Beale Street Blues" show as colored bars instead of notation?
Bar Notation replaces traditional noteheads with colored horizontal bars on a simplified staff — each bar's vertical position is the pitch and its length is the duration. Much easier to read than classic sheet music while still showing the full arrangement of "Beale Street Blues".
What key is "Beale Street Blues" by Duke Ellington played in?
Beale Street Blues is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Beale Street Blues"?
The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Beale Street Blues" 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 "Beale Street Blues"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Beale Street Blues"?
"Beale Street Blues" was originally performed by Duke Ellington. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Duke Ellington can I play here?
Try "Prelude To A Kiss", "Caravan", "Come Sunday". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this real sheet music for "Beale Street Blues"?
It's a simplified visual notation using colored bars instead of traditional notes. Each bar's vertical position shows the pitch and its length shows duration — much easier to read for beginners while still showing the complete arrangement of "Beale Street Blues".
Can I see all the notes in "Beale Street Blues"?
Yes! The Bar Sheet shows every note in the arrangement as a colored bar. The sheet scrolls automatically during playback, or you can scroll manually to study any section. The song is in the key of C at 100 BPM.

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