Super Simple Piano

There But For Fortune

Phil Ochs · Key of G · Easy

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Plug in your piano by USB or Bluetooth. The song waits for you until you hit the right notes. Slow it down, loop any bars, play one hand at a time.

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There But For Fortune — Classic Piano Sheet Music

About “There But For Fortune”

Read "There But For Fortune" by Phil Ochs 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 140 BPM.

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Lyrics
Lyrics

Show me a (Cm)pris on,

that the show me a (Cm)jail.

Show me a (Em)pris on man whose he (Am)face is grow ing (D)pale.

And (Em)I’ll show you a young man with (C)man y rea sons (Am)why,

and (Bm)there

but for (G)for tune may (Am)go you or (D)I.

Show me an (Cm)al ley,

where the show me a (Cm)train.

Show me a (Em)ho bo who as he (Am)sleeps out in the (D)rain.

And (Em)I’ll show you a young land with (C)man y rea sons (Am)why,

and (Bm)there

but for (G)for tune may (Am)go you or (D)I.

(D)I,

or (G)I.

Practice tip

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

Questions about this song (12)
Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "There But For Fortune"?
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 "There But For Fortune" by Phil Ochs played in?
There But For Fortune 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 "There But For Fortune"?
The arrangement plays at 140 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "There But For Fortune" 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 "There But For Fortune"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "There But For Fortune"?
"There But For Fortune" was originally performed by Phil Ochs. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "There But For Fortune"?
This arrangement uses 7 chords: Am, Bm, C, Cm, D, Em, G.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "There But For Fortune" 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 140 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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