The Entertainer

by Billy Joel
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Lyrics

I (G)am the en ter tain er and I (C)know just where (C)I stand:

An oth er ser e nad at er and an oth er long haired (D)band.

To (G)day I am your cham pi on.

I (C)may have won (C)your hearts.

But I know the game, you’ll for (D)get my name, and I (Am7)won’t be here in an (Cmaj7)oth er year if I (D)don’t stay on the charts.

I (G)am the en ter tain er and I’ve (C)had to pay (C)my price.

The things I did not know at first, we an learned by do ing (D)twice.

But (G)still they come to haunt pi me,

I (C)still they want (C)their say.

So I’ve learned to dance with a (D)hand in my Let ’em (Am7)rub my neck and I (Cmaj7)write ’em a and they (D)go their mer ry way.

I (G)am the en ter tain er,

I (C)been all a round (Dm7)my the world.

I played all kinds of pal (G)ac es

and laid on all the kinds of girls.

I (G)can’t re mem ber fac es, they were the I don’t re mem (Dm7)ber names,

oh, was but what ti the hell, you know it’s just as well, ’cause af ter a while and a thou sand miles, pay, so I cut it all be comes the same.

I (G)am the en ter tain er;

I’ve (C)bring to you round (Dm7)my the songs.

I’d like to spend a day (G)or two;

it’s I on can’t the stay that long.

I (G)got to meet ex pens es, they were I’ve I got to stay (Dm7)in line.

Got was ta get ti those fees you to the a gen cies, and I’d na to stay, but there’s got ta miles, it so they cut just down don’t have the time.

I

I (G)am the en ter tain er

and I (C)know just where (G7)I (C)stand:

An oth er ser e nad (G)er

and an oth er long haired (D)band.

To (G)day I am your cham pi on.

I (C)may have won (G7)your (C)hearts.

But I (Cmaj7)know the game, you’ll for (D)get my name.

I (Am7)won’t be here in an (Cmaj7)oth er year if I (D)don’t stay on the charts.

The Entertainer — Classic Piano Sheet Music

5 people have learned this song

Read "The Entertainer" by Billy Joel 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 120 BPM.

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

About “The Entertainer”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Entertainer"?
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 "The Entertainer" by Billy Joel played in?
The Entertainer 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 "The Entertainer"?
The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Entertainer" 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 Entertainer"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Entertainer"?
"The Entertainer" was originally performed by Billy Joel. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Entertainer"?
This arrangement uses 9 chords: Am7, C, Cmaj7, D, D7, Dm7, G, G7, +1 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 this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "The Entertainer" 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 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.