The Circle Game

by Joni Mitchell
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Lyrics

(C)Yes ter day a (F)child came out to (C)won der:

Though his caught a drag on (F)fly in side a (G7)jar,

And they (C)fear ful when the (F)sky was full of (Em)thun der

and you (F)tear ful at the (C)fall ing (G6)of a (C)star.

And the sea sons, they go round (G7sus)and (C)round, and the paint ed po nies go up and (C)down.

We’re cap tive on the car ou sel of (C)time.

We can’t re turn, we can on ly look be (Em)hind from where we (F)came and go (C)round and round and (C6)round in the (Dm9)cir cle (C)game.

So the (C)Then the child moved (F)ten times round the (C)sea sons,

Though his skat ed o ver (F)ten clear fro zen (G7)streams.

there’ll be (C)Words like “when you’re (F)old er” must ap (Em)pease him,

and you (F)prom is es of (C)some day (G6)make his (C)dreams.

And the sea sons, they go round (G7sus)and (C)round, and the paint ed po nies go up and (C)down.

We’re cap tive on the car ou sel of (C)time.

We can’t re turn, we can on ly look be (Em)hind from where we (F)came and go (C)round and round and (C6)round in the (Dm9)cir cle (C)game.

So the (C)game,

and go round and round and (Dm7)round in the (G13)cir cle (C)game.

The Circle Game — Classic Piano Sheet Music

11 people have learned this song

Read "The Circle Game" by Joni Mitchell in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of C. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 120 BPM.

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

About “The Circle Game

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Circle Game"?
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 C. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "The Circle Game" by Joni Mitchell played in?
The Circle Game 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 "The Circle Game"?
The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Circle Game" 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 "The Circle Game"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Circle Game"?
"The Circle Game" was originally performed by Joni Mitchell. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Circle Game"?
This arrangement uses 10 chords: C, C6, Dm7, Dm9, Em, Em6, F, G6, +2 more.
What other songs by Joni Mitchell can I play here?
Try "A Case Of You", "WOODSTOCK", "BIG YELLOW TAXI". 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 — "The Circle Game" 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 C, 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 120 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.

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