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Play There But For Fortune on your own piano
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There But For Fortune — Simple Sheet Music
About “There But For Fortune”
"There But For Fortune" in simplified sheet music format — the bridge between beginner modes and real sheet music. Color-coded notes with lyrics scrolling horizontally. Perfect for learning to read music. Key of G, 140 BPM.
9 people have learned this song
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 (9)
- How does Simplified Piano Arrangement differ from full sheet music for "There But For Fortune"?
- Simplified Arrangement keeps the melody and chords on a simplified staff with lyrics, color-coded for easy recognition. It's a learner-bridge between Beginner mode and the classic engraved Sheet Music — same song, less visual density.
- 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 Simple Sheet good for learning to read sheet music?
- Yes! Simple Sheet bridges the gap between beginner color-coded modes and traditional notation. Notes are displayed on a simplified staff with colors, lyrics, and chords — helping you build music reading skills gradually while still enjoying "There But For Fortune". Key of G, 140 BPM.
- What's the difference between Simple Sheet and Lead Sheet?
- Simple Sheet shows a more streamlined, horizontally scrolling view with color-coded notes on a staff and lyrics below — like a simplified version of real sheet music. Lead Sheet shows melody with chord symbols above and full lyrics. Simple Sheet is the next step toward reading traditional notation.
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