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 — Classic Piano Sheet Music
4 people have learned this song
Read "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of D. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 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”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Joke"?
- 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 D. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
- 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 this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
- Yes — "The Joke" 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 D, 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 72 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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