Brick

by Ben Folds Five
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Lyrics

Six A.

M.

day af ter Christ mas, I throw some clothes on in the dark.

The smell of cold,

car seat is freez ing, the world is sleep ing, I am

numb.

They Up the stairs

to her a part ment, I she is balled up on (G6/9)the couch.

Her mom and dad

went down to Char lotte, and they’re not home to find (G6/9)us out.

And we drive.

Now that I have found some one, Now I’m (D)feel ing more a lone

than I (Bm7)ev er have be fore.

She’s (A)a brick and I’m (A)drown ing slow ly off (A)the coast and I’m (A)head ed no (D6/9)where.

She’s (A)a brick and I’m (A)drown ing slow ly.

numb.

They call her name

at sev en thir ty.

I pace a round the park (G6/9)ing lot,

and I walk down

to buy her flow ers

and sell some gifts that I (G6/9)us got.

Can’t you see

it’s not me you’re dy ing for?

Now she’s (D)feel ing more a lone

than she (Bm7)ev er has be fore.

She’s (A)a brick and I’m (A)drown ing slow ly off (A)the coast and I’m (A)head ed no (D6/9)where.

She’s (A)a brick and I’m (A)drown ing slow ly.

As (E7)weeks went by they showed that she was (Dsus)not fine.

They (E7)told me, “Son, it’s time to tell the (Dsus)truth,” and

she (E7)broke down

and I broke down

’cause (Dsus)I was (E7sus)tired

of ly ing.

She’s (A)a brick and I’m (A)drown ing slow ly

off (A)the coast and I’m (A)head ed no (D6/9)where.

She’s (A)a brick and I’m (Bm7)drown ing (A)slow ly.

Brick — Classic Piano Sheet Music

11 people have learned this song

Read "Brick" by Ben Folds Five in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of D. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 100 BPM.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a great way to work on smooth chord transitions in D major while your left hand holds a steady pedal bass — meaning you'll anchor on that D note underneath while your right hand moves through the chord changes above it.

At 100 BPM the tempo is gentle, but watch the shifts between D, Dsus4, and D6 closely; those voicings differ by just one note, so accuracy matters more than speed.

The Bm7 to E7 move is your trickiest transition — isolate it, loop it slowly, and make sure your fingers know the shape before you try to play through.

I'd suggest hands-separate practice first: get that left-hand pedal bass feeling automatic, then layer in the right-hand chords.

Once both hands are comfortable, focus on dynamics — this is a sad ballad, so let the quiet passages breathe and resist the urge to play everything at one volume.

This song will genuinely strengthen your sus-chord and sixth-chord vocabulary, shapes that show up constantly in singer-songwriter and pop-rock repertoire.

About “Brick

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Brick"?
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 D. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Brick" by Ben Folds Five played in?
Brick is arranged in the key of D on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Brick"?
The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Brick" 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 "Brick"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Brick"?
"Brick" was originally performed by Ben Folds Five. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Brick"?
This arrangement uses 9 chords: A, Bm7, D, D6, Dsus4, E7, G, G6, +1 more.
What other songs by Ben Folds Five can I play here?
Try "YOU DON'T KNOW ME", "Army", "Battle Of Who Could Care Less". 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 — "Brick" 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 D, 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 100 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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