I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)

by Marc Shaiman
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Lyrics

There’s a (C)light

in the (E)dark ness,

though the (Am)night

is black as my with (Fm)skin.

There’s a (C)light

burn ing (E)bright,

I pray the (Am)show ing me the (F)way,

but (E)I know

where I’ve (Am)been.

There’s a (C)cry

in the (E)dis tance.

It’s a (Am)voice

that comes from deep with (Fm)in.

There’s a (C)cry

ask ing (E)“why?”

I pray the (Am)an swer’s up a (F)head,

’cause (E)I know

where I’ve (Am)been.

There’s a (Am)been.

There’s a (Dm7)road

we’ve been (Am)trav ’lin’,

lost so (Dm7)man y

on the (Am)way.

But the (Em)rich es

will be (F7)plen ty,

worth the (F#dim7)price,

the (D#dim7)price

we had to (Esus)pay.

There’s a (C)dream

in the (E)fu ture.

There’s a (Am)strug gle

we have yet to (Fm)win.

And there’s (C)pride

in my (E)heart

’cause (Am)I know

where I’m (F)go ing.

(Yes, I (Dm7)do!)

And (F)I know

where I’ve (C)been.

There’s a (Dm7)road...

a road...)

...we must (Am)trav el.

must trav el.)

There’s a (Dm7)prom ise...

a prom ise...)

...we must (Am)make...

must make...)

...’cause the (Em)rich es...

the rich es...)

...will be (F)plen ty,...

be plen ty,...)

...worth the (F#dim7)risk (...worth the risk) and the chanc

es that we (E)take.

There’s a (D)dream

in the (F#)fu ture.

There’s a (Bm)strug gle

we have yet to (Gm)win.

Use that (D)pride

in our (F#)hearts

to (Bm)lift us to to (G)mor row,

’cause just to sit (F#)still would be a (Bm)si in.

(I know it, I (Bm)know it, I know where (F#m7)I’m (Em7)go in’!) Lord knows.

(G)I know

where I’ve been.

Oh,

when we wi in,

I’ll give thanks to my (Gm)God ’cause I (C)know where I’ve (D)been!

I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray) — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along

1 person has learned this song

Free karaoke for "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" by Marc Shaiman: 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 C, 60 BPM.

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

About “I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)”

What key is "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" by Marc Shaiman played in?
I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray) 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 "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)"?
The arrangement plays at 60 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" 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 "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)"?
"I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" was originally performed by Marc Shaiman. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Marc Shaiman can I play here?
Try "I CAN HEAR THE BELLS", "MAMA, I'M A BIG GIRL NOW", "Big, Blonde And Beautiful (from Hairspray)". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is there a karaoke version of "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" with lyrics?
Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" by Marc Shaiman. 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 "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" to match my voice or capo?
Yes. The original is in C, 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 "I Know Where I've Been (From Hairspray)" 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.