Other arrangements of Tough Little Boys
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(D)I nev er once backed as (Dmaj7)down from a punch,
well, (D7)I’d take it square on the chin.
Well, (Gm)I found out fast
a (Bm)bul ly’s just that.
can (Em7)You’ve got to stand up to him.
So, (D)I did n’t cry when I (Dmaj7)got a black eye.
As (D7)bad as it hurt, I just (G)grinned.
But when (Gm)tough lit tle boys
grow (D)up to be dads, (D)they turn (Em7)in to big ba bies a gain.
Well, (Bm)Scared me to death
when you (G)took your first steps.
Well, I’d (D)fall ev ’ry time you fell (D)down.
And your (Bm)first day of school
I (G)cried like a fool and I (Em7)fol lowed your school bus to town.
Well, (D)I did n’t cry
when (Dmaj7)Old Yel ler died,
at (D7)least not in front of my (G)friends.
But when (Gm)tough lit tle boys grow (D)up to be dads, (D)they turn in to big ba bies a gain.
Well, (D)I’m a grown man, but as (Dmaj7)strong as I am,
well, (D7)some times it’s hard to be lieve
how (Gm)one lit tle girl
with (Bm)lit tle blonde curls can (Em7)to tal ly ter ri fy me.
If (D)you were to ask, my I (Dmaj7)wife would just laugh,
she’d (D7)say an old law a bout (G)men
and how (Gm)tough lit tle boys grow (D)up to be dads, (D)they turn (Em7)in to big ba bies a gain.
Well, (Bm)I know one day I’ll you (G)give you a way Well, and (D)I’m gon na stand there and (D)smile.
And But (Bm)when I get home and (G)I’m all a lone, well, I’ll (Em7)sit in your room for a while.
Well, (D)I did n’t cry
when (Dmaj7)Old Yel ler died,
at (D7)least not in front of my (G)friends.
But when (Gm)tough lit tle boys grow (D)up to be dads, (D)they turn in to big ba bies a gain.
Well,
When (G)tough lit tle boys grow (D)up to be dads,
they turn (Em9)in to big ba bies a (D)gain.
Tough Little Boys — Classic Piano Sheet Music
Read "Tough Little Boys" by Gary Allan 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 100 BPM.
Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.
Try other practice modes:
About “Tough Little Boys”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Tough Little Boys"?
- 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 "Tough Little Boys" by Gary Allan played in?
- Tough Little Boys 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 "Tough Little Boys"?
- The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Tough Little Boys" 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 "Tough Little Boys"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Tough Little Boys"?
- "Tough Little Boys" was originally performed by Gary Allan. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Tough Little Boys"?
- This arrangement uses 12 chords: A, A7, Bm, D, D7, Dmaj7, Em7, Em9, +4 more.
- What other songs by Gary Allan can I play here?
- Try "EVERY STORM", "LIFE AIN'T ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL", "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)". 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 — "Tough Little Boys" 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 100 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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