James

by Billy Joel
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Lyrics

James

We were al ways your friends

from our child hood days

And And we made our plans

and we had er to go your our sep ’rate ter ways

(F7)I went on in the road

you ing pur up to an ed pec u ca tion.

James

Do you like ways your life

can you find re lease,

And will you ev er change,

Will you ev er to write your our mas ’rate ter piece?

(F7)Are you still in the school

liv ing pur up to an ex pec u ta tions?

(Dm)James

(Abmaj7)You were so re lied up on

(C9sus)Ev ’ry bod y (C)knows how (Bb)hard you (F)tried

(Dm)Hey,

Oh, now (Abmaj7)look at what a job you’ve done

and (C9sus)car ry ing the (C)weight of (Gm7)fam ’ly (A7)pride

(Dm7)James

you’ve been well be haved

you’ve been work ing (Cm)hard

but will you al ways stay

some one else ’s dream of who you are

(F9)Do what’s (F7)good for you,

or (E)you’re not (G#)good for an y bod y.

(Dm7)James.

(F9)I went on the road

(E)you pur sued an ed u ca tion.

(Gm7)sat is fied.

(Dm7)James

do you like your life?

Can you find re (Cm)lease

and will you ev er change

when will you write your (G)mas ter piece?

(F9)Do what’s (F7)good for you,

or you’re not good for an y bod y.

(Dm7)James.

James by Billy Joel

4 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of G at 112 BPM. Difficulty: easy. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

About “James

What key is "James" in?
"James" by Billy Joel is in the key of G with a tempo of 112 BPM. Difficulty: easy.
Is "James" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this arrangement is rated easy, meaning it uses simple chord patterns and a manageable tempo. Most beginners can play through it in 1-3 practice sessions using our color-coded notes.
Can I play "James" without reading sheet music?
Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
What chords are used in "James"?
This arrangement of "James" uses 19 chords: A7, Abmaj7, Am7, Bb, Bbmaj7, C, C9, Cm, +11 more.
How long does it take to learn "James" on piano?
1–3 short practice sessions for the basics; 2–3 weeks to perform confidently with both hands.
What other songs by Billy Joel can I play here?
Try "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT", "EVERYBODY HAS A DREAM", "CAPTAIN JACK". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

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