Truckin'

by Grateful Dead
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Lyrics

(E)Truck in’,

got my chips cashed in.

Keep (A)truck in’,

like the doo dah man.

To (B)geth er,

more or less in line,

(A)just keep truck in’ on.

(E)Ar rows of ne on and flash ing mar quees out on Main Street.

Chi ca go, New York, De troit and it’s all on the same street.

Your typ i cal cit y in volved in a typ i cal day dream.

out of the up and see what to mor row brings.

lone.

Dal las

got a soft ma chine.

Been (A)Hous ton,

too close to New Or leans.

(B)New York

the got the ways and means,

and (A)just won’t let you be.

(E)Most of the cats that you meet on the streets speak of true love.

She Most of the time, they’re sit tin’ and cry in’ at home.

street.

Your One of these days, y in they know they got ta get go in’,

out of the door and down to the street all a shame?”

Truck in’,

like the doo dah man Been (A)once told

me, “Got ta play your hand.

(B)Some times

you cards ain’t worth a dime

if (A)you don’t lay ’em down.”

(A)Some times the light’s all shin in’ on me,

Oth er times I can (D)bare ly (A)see.

(D)Late ly, it oc (F#m)curs to (F#)me

what a (Amaj7)long,

strange trip it’s been.

(E)Sit tin’ and star in’ out of the ho tel win dow.

Got a tip they’re gon na kick the door in a gain.

I’d like to get some sleep be fore I trav el,

but if you got a war rant, I guess you’re gon na come in.

Bust ed

down on Bour bon Street.

(A)Set up

like a bowl in’ pin.

(B)Knocked down,

it gets to wear in’ thin.

They (A)just won’t let you be.

You’re sick of hang in’ a round; you’d like to trav el.

Get ti red of trav el in’, you want to set tle down.

I guess they can’t re voke your soul for try in’.

Get out of the door, light out and look all a round.

(A)Some times the light’s all shin in’ on me.

Oth er times I can (D)bare ly (A)see.

(D)Late ly, it oc (F#m)curs to (F#)me

what a (Amaj7)long,

strange trip it’s been.

Truck in’,

I’m a go in’ home,

(A)whoa, whoa, ba by, back where I be long.

(B)Back home,

sit down and patch my bones,

and (A)get back truck in’ on.

Truckin' — Classic Piano Sheet Music

9 people have learned this song

Read "Truckin'" by Grateful Dead 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 120 BPM.

Tip: Break this song into sections and master each one separately. The speed control lets you drill difficult passages at any tempo.

About “Truckin'”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Truckin'"?
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 "Truckin'" by Grateful Dead played in?
Truckin' 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 "Truckin'"?
The arrangement plays at 120 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Truckin'" easy to play on piano?
This is an advanced arrangement. We recommend breaking it into sections and using the speed control to drill harder passages.
Can I download sheet music for "Truckin'"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Truckin'"?
"Truckin'" was originally performed by Grateful Dead. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Truckin'"?
This arrangement uses 10 chords: A, Amaj7, B, C, D, E, F#, F#m, +2 more.
What other songs by Grateful Dead can I play here?
Try "UNCLE JOHN'S BAND", "THE MUSIC NEVER STOPPED", "SUGAR MAGNOLIA". 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 — "Truckin'" 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 120 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.