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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 — Simple Sheet Music
13 people have learned this song
"James" in simplified sheet music format — the bridge between beginner modes and real sheet music. Color-coded notes with lyrics scrolling horizontally. Perfect for learning to read music. Key of D, 112 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “James”
- How does Simplified Piano Arrangement differ from full sheet music for "James"?
- Simplified Arrangement keeps the melody and chords on a simplified staff with lyrics, color-coded for easy recognition. It's a learner-bridge between Beginner mode and the classic engraved Sheet Music — same song, less visual density.
- What key is "James" by Billy Joel played in?
- James 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 "James"?
- The arrangement plays at 112 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "James" 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 "James"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "James"?
- "James" was originally performed by Billy Joel. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "James"?
- This arrangement uses 19 chords: A7, Abmaj7, Am7, Bb, Bbmaj7, C, C9, Cm, +11 more.
- What other songs by Billy Joel can I play here?
- Try "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT", "EVERYBODY HAS A DREAM", "CAPTAIN JACK". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is Simple Sheet good for learning to read sheet music?
- Yes! Simple Sheet bridges the gap between beginner color-coded modes and traditional notation. Notes are displayed on a simplified staff with colors, lyrics, and chords — helping you build music reading skills gradually while still enjoying "James". Key of D, 112 BPM.
- What's the difference between Simple Sheet and Lead Sheet?
- Simple Sheet shows a more streamlined, horizontally scrolling view with color-coded notes on a staff and lyrics below — like a simplified version of real sheet music. Lead Sheet shows melody with chord symbols above and full lyrics. Simple Sheet is the next step toward reading traditional notation.