Down In The Boondocks

by Billy Joe Royal
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Lyrics

(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 — Classic Piano Sheet Music

3 people have learned this song

Read "Down In The Boondocks" by Billy Joe Royal in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of G. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 240 BPM.

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

About “Down In The Boondocks

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Down In The Boondocks"?
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 G. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
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 this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "Down In The Boondocks" 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 G, 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 240 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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