Tight Rope

by Leon Russell
Loading sheet music
Building your awesome sheet music
1
Play in Kid Mode

Other arrangements of Tight Rope

Pick a learning view.

Lyrics

(B7)I’m up on the (Em7)tight wire.

One side’s (Am7)ice and one is fire.

It’s a cir cus (G)game with you and me.

(B7)I’m up on the (Em7)tight rope.

One side’s (Am7)hate and one is hope.

But the (C6)top hat on my (G)head is all you see.

And the (Bm7)wire seems to be the on ly (Em7)place for me.

A (Bm7)com e dy of er rors and I’m fall

ing.

Like a (G6)rub ber neck gi raffe,

you (Em)look in to my past.

Well, (C6)ba by, you’re just too blind to

see I’m up in the (Em7)spot light.

Oh, does it (Am7)feel right.

Oh, the al ti tude seems to get to me.

(B7)I’m up on the (Em7)tight wire,

flanked by (Am7)life and the fu n’ral pyre,

(C6)put ting on a show for you to see.

Like a

Tight Rope — Classic Piano Sheet Music

3 people have learned this song

Read "Tight Rope" by Leon Russell in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of E. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 76 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “Tight Rope

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Tight Rope"?
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 E. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Tight Rope" by Leon Russell played in?
Tight Rope is arranged in the key of E on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Tight Rope"?
The arrangement plays at 76 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Tight Rope" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "Tight Rope"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Tight Rope"?
"Tight Rope" was originally performed by Leon Russell. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Tight Rope"?
This arrangement uses 14 chords: Am7, B7, Bm, Bm7, C, C6, Cdom, D, +6 more.
What other songs by Leon Russell can I play here?
Try "The Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen", "LADY BLUE", "Hummingbird". 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 — "Tight Rope" 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 E, 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 76 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.

More songs you might like