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
24 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.
Learn how to accompany it· the chords and what each hand plays, on Super Simple Chords ↗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.


