Other arrangements of Black
Pick a learning view.
Oh,
yeah.
(E)Sheets of emp (D)ty can vas,
un touched sheets of clay
were (E)laid spread out (D)be fore me
as her bod y once did.
Oh, all of five (D)ho ri zons re (A)volved a round her soul
as the earth to the sun.
(E)Now the air (D)I tast ed and breathed
has tak en a turn.
Ooh.
And all I taught her was
ev ’ry thing.
I’m spin ning, Ooh.
I’m (C)spin ning.
I know she gave me all
that she
was.
And now my (D)bit ter hands
chafe be (C)neath the clouds of what was ev ’ry (Em)thing.
All the (D)pic tures have
all been (C)washed in black, tat tooed ev ’ry (E5)thing.
I take a (D)walk out side,
(A)I’m sur round ed by
some kids (A)at play.
(E)I can feel (D)their laugh ter,
so why do I sear?
Oh.
in black, tat tooed ev ’ry (Em)thing.
All the (D)love gone bad turned my (C)world to black, tat tooed all I see,
all that (C)I am,
all I’ll (Em)be.
Yeah.
(Em)Oh.
(D)Oh.
I know some day you’ll have a beau ti ful life.
I know you’ll be a sun
in (C)some bod y else ’s sky.
(Em)But why,
why,
(D)why
can’t it (C)be, why can’t it be (Em)mine?
Do do do do do do (C)do.
Do do do do do do (Em)do.
Do do do do do do (D)do.
Do do do do do do (C)do.
Do do do do do do (Em)do.
Do do do do do do (D)do.
Do do do do do do (C)do.
Do do do do do do (Em)do.
Black — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
96 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Black" by Pearl Jam: 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 E, 77 BPM.
This arrangement is a great way to develop your pedal-bass independence — your left hand holds steady low E notes through most of the verse while your right hand moves through E, Em, Asus2, and A shapes above it, so start hands-separate until that left-hand anchor feels automatic.
At 77 BPM you have room to breathe, but watch the transition from the E-minor family chords into Bm, C, and D as the song builds — that shift catches people off guard every time, so loop that chorus passage slowly until the jumps feel smooth.
Pay close attention to the difference between E, E7, Em, and Epow; they share notes but the voicing changes color the emotion, so voice each one cleanly.
Sustain pedal will be your friend on the long tones, but lift and re-press on each chord change to avoid mud.
This is the song that will genuinely solidify your ability to hold a calm left hand while your right hand tells the story.
Try other practice modes:
About “Black”
- What key is "Black" by Pearl Jam played in?
- Black is arranged in the key of E on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Black"?
- The arrangement plays at 77 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Black" easy to play on piano?
- This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
- Can I download sheet music for "Black"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Black"?
- "Black" was originally performed by Pearl Jam. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Black"?
- This arrangement uses 9 chords: A, Asus2, Bm, C, D, E, E7, Em, +1 more.
- What other songs by Pearl Jam can I play here?
- Try "ELDERLY WOMAN BEHIND THE COUNTER IN A SMALL TOWN", "SIRENS", "JUST BREATHE". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Black" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Black" by Pearl Jam. 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 "Black" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in E, 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 "Black" 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.