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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 — Classic Piano Sheet Music
24 people have learned this song
Read "Turtle Blues" by Janis Joplin 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 135 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 “Turtle Blues”
- Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Turtle Blues"?
- 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 "Turtle Blues" by Janis Joplin played in?
- Turtle Blues 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 "Turtle Blues"?
- The arrangement plays at 135 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Turtle Blues" 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 "Turtle Blues"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Turtle Blues"?
- "Turtle Blues" was originally performed by Janis Joplin. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "Turtle Blues"?
- This arrangement uses 8 chords: A7, Bb7, C, D, D7, Eb7, G, G7.
- What other songs by Janis Joplin can I play here?
- Try "ME AND BOBBY McGEE", "LITTLE GIRL BLUE", "PIECE OF MY HEART". 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 — "Turtle Blues" 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 135 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.