Other arrangements of Turtle Blues
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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 — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial
9 people have learned this song
Watch "Turtle Blues" by Janis Joplin in falling notes style — like Synthesia. Color-coded notes fall onto the keyboard in real time. Practice left hand, right hand, or both. Key of D, 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”
- Can I learn "Turtle Blues" with falling notes like Synthesia?
- Yes — Falling Notes mode shows colored note shapes dropping onto a virtual keyboard, the same visual style as Synthesia or piano-tile games. Each note's column matches the piano key you press. Works for "Turtle Blues" with hands-separate practice in D at 135 BPM.
- 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.
- Can I practice left and right hand separately for "Turtle Blues"?
- Yes! Our Top Down mode lets you isolate the left hand (bass clef), right hand (treble clef), or play both together. This makes it easy to master "Turtle Blues" one hand at a time before combining them.
- What is falling notes style for "Turtle Blues"?
- Falling notes (also known as Synthesia or piano waterfall) shows color-coded rectangles falling from the top of the screen onto a virtual keyboard. Each note's position matches the piano key you need to press. "Turtle Blues" is in the key of D at 135 BPM.
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