Other arrangements of Sloop John B.
Pick a learning view.
We (G)came on the Sloop John B.,
my grand fa ther and me.
’Round Nas sau town
we did (D)roam.
(D7)Drink in’ all (G)night,
had man y a (C)fight.
I (G)feel so broke up, I wan na go (G)home.
So hoist up the John B.
sails,
and clean up the John B.
rails.
Oh, cap tain, please come a board and sail me back (D7)home.
The sloop, the John (G)B.
can trav el the (C)sea,
next (G)time with out me.
I (D7)wan na go (G)home.
The (G)first mate, he got so drunk,
he broke o pen my trunk.
Poor sea sick me
on the (D)foam.
(D7)O ceans are (G)grand,
but give me the (C)land.
I (G)feel so broke up, I wan na go (G)home.
So hoist up the John B.
sails,
and clean up the John B.
rails.
Oh, cap tain, please come a board and sail me back (D7)home.
The sloop, the John (G)B.
can trav el the (C)sea,
next (G)time with out me.
I (D7)wan na go (G)home.
Sloop John B. — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
7 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "Sloop John B." by Barry McGuire: 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, 110 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 “Sloop John B.”
- What key is "Sloop John B." by Barry McGuire played in?
- Sloop John B. 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 "Sloop John B."?
- The arrangement plays at 110 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Sloop John B." 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 "Sloop John B."?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Sloop John B."?
- "Sloop John B." was originally performed by Barry McGuire. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Sloop John B."?
- This arrangement uses 7 chords: C, C6, Cm, D, D7, G, G7.
- What other songs by Barry McGuire can I play here?
- Try "EVE OF DESTRUCTION". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "Sloop John B." with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "Sloop John B." by Barry McGuire. 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 "Sloop John B." 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 "Sloop John B." 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.