The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress

by Jimmy Webb
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Lyrics

See her (G)how she (Em7)flies,

gold en (G)sails a cross the (C)sky.

the Come e nough to (Am)touch,

but the care ful if you (C)try.

Though she (D)looks as warm as (Em)gold,

the (G)moon’s a harsh

(Am7sus)mis

(Am7)tress.

The moon can be so (C)cold.

Once the (G)sun did (Em7)shine;

gold good (G)Lord, it felt so (C)fine,

the moon a phan tom (Am)rose

through the moun tains and the (C)pines.

Though And (D)then the dark ness (Em)fell.

The (G)moon’s a harsh

(Am7sus)mis

(Am7)tress;

it’s hard to love her (C)well.

Once the (G)sun did

I (Bb7)fell out of her (Eb)eyes;

I

fell out of her (Cm7)heart.

I (Cm7)fell down (Bb)on my (Ebmaj7)face;

I (Bb)tripped and I missed my (Eb)star.

I

(F)fell and fell a (Gm)lone.

The (Bb)moon’s a harsh

(Cm7sus)mis

(Cm7)tress;

the sky is made of (Bb)stone.

The moon’s a harsh

(Eb)mis

(Eb)tress;

she’s (Eb)hard to call your (Bb)own.

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress — Classic Piano Sheet Music

4 people have learned this song

Read "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" by Jimmy Webb 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 50 BPM.

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

About “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress"?
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 Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" by Jimmy Webb played in?
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress 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 Moon Is A Harsh Mistress"?
The arrangement plays at 50 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" 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 Moon Is A Harsh Mistress"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress"?
"The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" was originally performed by Jimmy Webb. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress"?
This arrangement uses 22 chords: Am, Am7, Bb, Bb7, Bbm7, C, Cm7, D, +14 more.
What other songs by Jimmy Webb can I play here?
Try "THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN". 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 Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" 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 50 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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