Other arrangements of The Downeaster "Alexa"
Pick a learning view.
Well I’m (C)on the Down (G)east er A lex a,
and I’m (C)cruis ing through (G)Block Is land Sound.
I have chart ered a course to the Vine yard.
But to night I am (G)Nan tuck et bound.
We took on (G)die sel back in Mon tauk yes ter day,
and left this morn ing there, but bell where, in Gar on di ner’s Bay.
Like all the lo cals here are I’ve what to sell my home,
too proud got to no is back worked on my land (Am)fin gers to the bone, so I could own my Down (G)east er A lex a,
and I (C)go where the (G)o cean is deep.
There are gi ants out there in the can yons.
And a good cap tain (G)can’t fall a sleep.
I I got (G)bills to pay and chil dren who need clothes.
I know there’s fish out as a bell bay God Gar an di ly knows.
They say these lo ters for a n’t man they used to be.
But proud ain’t to no is land worked for my is gers to the bone, so I could own who count on me.
So when you see my Down (G)east er A lex a,
and if you (C)work with the rod and the reel,
tell my wife I am (C)troll ing At lan tis,
and I (C)still have my (G)hands on the wheel.
Now I (G)Ya
Yo
Ya Ya (G)Ya
Yo
Ya Ya (G)Ya
Yo
Ya Ya (G)Ya
Yo
Ya Ya (Am)Yo.
The Downeaster "Alexa" — Classic Piano Sheet Music
10 people have learned this song
Read "The Downeaster "Alexa"" by Billy Joel in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of A. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 80 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 “The Downeaster "Alexa"”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Downeaster "Alexa""?
- 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 A. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- What key is "The Downeaster "Alexa"" by Billy Joel played in?
- The Downeaster "Alexa" is arranged in the key of A on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Downeaster "Alexa""?
- The arrangement plays at 80 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "The Downeaster "Alexa"" 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 Downeaster "Alexa""?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "The Downeaster "Alexa""?
- "The Downeaster "Alexa"" was originally performed by Billy Joel. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "The Downeaster "Alexa""?
- This arrangement uses 6 chords: Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G.
- 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 this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "The Downeaster "Alexa"" 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 A, 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 80 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.