I’m a (D7)mean, the mean a wom an,
I don’t need no one ev ’ry thing no (D7)good,
no.
I’m a mean, (G7)once mean wom an, dy, I don’t need no one man, ’ry thing in sight.
no good.
I I just hon treats ’em like I wants to, hon ey, I nev er treats ’em, hon ey, like I (D)should.
Oh, Lord, I (D7)once the had of dad dy,
He said he’d give me ev ’ry thing in (D7)sight.
no.
I’m not I (G7)kind had a dad dy, said he’d give no me ev a bed of ease.
no good.
So, if said, just ey, I want the sun shine, hon ey, yeah, take the stars out me ey, of the (D)night.
Oh, Lord, I (D)please.
I guess I’m just like a tur tle,
that’s hid in’ un der neath its hard ened (D7)shell.
Whoa,
whoa, whoa, oh, (G7)yeah, like a tur tle,
hid in’ un der neath its hard ened (D7)shell.
But you (A7)know I’m ver y well pro tect ed.
I know this god damned life too (D)well.
(A7)Oh,
now call me mean, you can call me e vil, yeah, (G7)yeah, I’ve been called much worse things a (D7)round.
Call me (G7)mean or call me e vil,
I’ve been called much worse things a (D7)round.
Yeah, but (A7)I’m gon na take good care of Jan is, yeah,
hon ey, no one gon na dog me (D)down.
Turtle Blues by Janis Joplin
9 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of D at 135 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
About “Turtle Blues”
- What key is "Turtle Blues" in?
- "Turtle Blues" by Janis Joplin is in the key of D with a tempo of 135 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
- Is "Turtle Blues" easy to play on piano?
- This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
- Can I play "Turtle Blues" without reading sheet music?
- Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
- What chords are used in "Turtle Blues"?
- This arrangement of "Turtle Blues" uses 8 chords: A7, Bb7, C, D, D7, Eb7, G, G7.
- How long does it take to learn "Turtle Blues" on piano?
- 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
- What other songs by Janis Joplin can I play here?
- Try "ME AND BOBBY McGEE", "LITTLE GIRL BLUE", "PIECE OF MY HEART". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
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