Other arrangements of Breakdown
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I hope this old (Em)train breaks down.
Cen Then I could take a (G)walk a round and
So see what e there (Em)is to see.
’cause it’s gon na Time is just a (G)mel o dy.
With all the (C)peo ple in the street walk ing (Em)fast er as their feet can take them, (Am)I just roll through town.
And though my (C)win dow’s got a view, well, the (Em)frame I’m look ing through seems to (Am)have no con cern for now.
So for now I…
I (G)need this here old train to (G)break down.
Oh, (G)please just
let me please (G)break down.
Well, this en gine (Em)screams out loud.
Cen ti pede could gon na (G)crawl west bound.
and
So I don’t e ven (Em)make a sound, ’cause it’s gon na sting me when I (G)leave this dy.
And all the (C)peo ple in the street that I’ll (Em)nev er get to meet, can (if) these (Am)I tracks don’t some how.
And though And (C)I got got no time that I (Em)frame got look to get to where (Am)have I don’t need to be.
So for So I…
I (G)need this here old train to (G)break down.
Oh, (G)please just
let me please (G)break down.
(G)break down.
I (G)need this here old train to (G)break down.
Oh, (G)please just
let me please (G)break down.
I wan na (F)break on down.
But I (F)can’t stop now.
Let me (F)break on down.
But you (C)can’t stop noth ing if you (Em)got no con trol of the (Am)thoughts in your mind that you (G)kept in, you know.
You (C)don’t know noth ing but you (Em)don’t need to know.
The (Am)wis dom’s in the trees, not the (G)glass win dows.
You (C)can’t stop wish ing if you (Em)don’t let go the (Am)things that you find and you (G)lose and you know.
You (C)keep on roll ing, put the (Em)mo ment on hold.
The (Am)frames too bright so put the (G)blinds down low.
And…
I wan na break on down.
But I can’t stop now.
Breakdown — Classic Piano Sheet Music
9 people have learned this song
Read "Breakdown" by Jack Johnson in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of C. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 120 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 “Breakdown”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Breakdown"?
- 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 C. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "Breakdown" by Jack Johnson played in?
- Breakdown 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 "Breakdown"?
- The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Breakdown" 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 "Breakdown"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Breakdown"?
- "Breakdown" was originally performed by Jack Johnson. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Breakdown"?
- This arrangement uses 5 chords: Am, C, Em, F, G.
- What other songs by Jack Johnson can I play here?
- Try "Monsoon", "Flake", "If I Had Eyes". 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 — "Breakdown" 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 C, 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 120 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.
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