Other arrangements of Down In The Boondocks
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(G)Down in the boon docks,
(C)down in the boon docks,
(D)peo ple put me down ’cause (C)that’s the side of town I was born (G)in.
I love her, she loves me, but (C)I don’t fit in her so ci e ty, (D)Lord, have mer cy on the (C)boy from (Bm)down in the (Am)boon (G)docks.
Ev ’ry night I watch the lights from the (C)house up on the (G)hill.
I love a girl who (Em)lives up there, and I guess er, I er al ways (Em)will.
But (Am7)I don’t dare ing knock (D7)on her door ’cause her (Am7)dad dy is my boss (D7)man.
So I (Am7)have to try to (D7)be con tent, just to (Am7)see her when ev er I (D7)can.
(G)Down in the boon docks,
(C)down in the boon docks,
(D)peo ple put me down ’cause (C)that’s the side of town I was born (G)in.
I love her, she loves me, but (C)I don’t fit in her so ci e ty, (D)Lord, have mer cy on the (C)boy from (Bm)down in the (Am)boon (G)docks.
One fine day I’ll find a way to the (C)move from this old (G)shack.
I’ll hold my head up (Em)like a king, and I nev er, nev er will look (Em)back, un (Am7)til that morn ing I’ll (D7)work and slave And her (Am7)I’ll dy save ev ’ry (D7)dime.
But to (Am7)night she’ll have to (D7)steal a way, to to (Am7)see her me one er more (D7)can.
(D7)time.
(D)Lord, have mer cy on the (C)boy from (Bm)down in the (Am)boon (G)docks.
Down In The Boondocks — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
6 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Down In The Boondocks" by Billy Joe Royal: 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 G, 240 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
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About “Down In The Boondocks”
- What key is "Down In The Boondocks" by Billy Joe Royal played in?
- Down In The Boondocks is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Down In The Boondocks"?
- The arrangement plays at 240 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Down In The Boondocks" 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 "Down In The Boondocks"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Down In The Boondocks"?
- "Down In The Boondocks" was originally performed by Billy Joe Royal. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Down In The Boondocks"?
- This arrangement uses 9 chords: Am, Am7, B7, Bm, C, D, D7, Em, +1 more.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Down In The Boondocks" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Down In The Boondocks" by Billy Joe Royal. 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 "Down In The Boondocks" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in G, 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 "Down In The Boondocks" 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.