The Joke — Beginner Piano Tutorial

Learn "The Joke" on piano — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded notes show you exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of D, 72 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

Lyrics

You’re feel ing nerv ous, aren’t you, boy, with your qui et voice and im pec ca ble (D)style? Don’t let them ev er steal your joy, and your gen tle ways that keep ’em from run ning wild. They can kick dirt in your face, (Am)dress you down, and tell you that your place is in the (G)mid dle, when they hate the way you shine. I see you tug ging on your shirt, tryin’ to hide in side of it, and hide how much it hurts. Let ’em laugh while they can. Let ’em (G)spin, let ’em (Gm)scat ter in the wind. I have been to the mov ies, I’ve seen how it ends, and the joke’s on them. You get dis cour aged, don’t you, girl? It’s your broth er’s world for a while long er. We got ta (D)dance with the dev il on a riv er to beat the stream. Call it “liv ing the dream,” call it “kick ing the lad (D)der.” They (D)come to kick dirt in your face, to (Am)call you weak and then dis place you, af ter (G)car ry ing your ba by on your back a cross the des ert. I saw your eyes be hind your hair, and you’re look ing tired, but you don’t look scared. Let ’em laugh while they can. Let ’em (G)spin, let ’em (Gm)scat ter in the wind. I have been to the mov ies, I’ve seen how it ends, and the joke’s on them. Let ’em laugh while they can. Let ’em (G)spin, let ’em (Gm)scat ter in the wind. I have been to the mov ies, I’ve seen how it ends, and the joke’s on them. Let ’em on (D)them.

Song Details

Category
Folk
Key
D
Tempo
72 BPM
Difficulty
medium

Recommended For You

How to Play "The Joke" on Piano

  1. 1
    Pick a practice mode — Choose from Fall Down, Beginner, Lead Sheet, Bar Sheet, or Simple Sheet — each mode visualizes the music differently to match your learning style.
  2. 2
    Practice each hand separately — Use the Left, Right, and Both buttons to isolate the bass or treble part and build muscle memory one hand at a time.
  3. 3
    Adjust speed and turn on metronome — Slow down to 50% while learning, then gradually speed up. Enable the metronome to keep steady timing.
  4. 4
    Loop a section — Select a tricky part and loop it until you nail it. Perfect for mastering difficult passages.
  5. 5
    Download sheet music — Export a PDF of the sheet music to print out and practice on your real piano anytime, anywhere.