Other arrangements of Sloop John B.
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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. — Classic Piano Sheet Music
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Read "Sloop John B." by Barry McGuire 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 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.”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Sloop John B."?
- 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 "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 this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "Sloop John B." 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 110 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.