Other arrangements of The Joke
Pick a learning view.
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.
The Joke — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
19 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of D, 72 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 Joke”
- What key is "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile played in?
- The Joke is arranged in the key of D on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "The Joke"?
- The arrangement plays at 72 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "The Joke" 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 Joke"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "The Joke"?
- "The Joke" was originally performed by Brandi Carlile. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "The Joke"?
- This arrangement uses 8 chords: Am, Am7, D, Dsus2, Dsus4, F#, G, Gm.
- What other songs by Brandi Carlile can I play here?
- Try "The Story", "PARTY OF ONE". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "The Joke" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "The Joke" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in D, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "The Joke" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.