Other arrangements of When I Was A Boy
Pick a learning view.
I won’t for get when Pe ter (G)Pan came to my house, took my (C69)hand.
I said I was a boy.
when I’m (G)glad he did n’t check.
And I learned to fly; I learned to fight.
I lived a whole life in one (C69)night.
We saved each oth er’s lives out on the pi rate deck.
And And I re mem ber that night (Bm7)when leav in’ a late night with some (D)friends and I hear some bod y tell me it’s not safe; some one should (Dsus4)help me.
I need to find me a nice man to walk me (Gsus2)home.
When I was a boy,
I scared the pants off of my (C69)mom, climbed what I could climb up on.
that I walked.
And I don’t know how I sur vived.
I guess I knew the tricks that all (C69)im plants boys to put in; knew.
they got im plants to re move.
And you
can walk
me home,
ting
but I was a
boy, too.
I was a kid that would would (G)like, just a small boy on her (C69)bike, rid when ing top less.
Yeah, when I (G)nev er cared who saw.
And My neigh bor came out side to say, The “Get your shirt.” I said, “No (C69)way.
It’s catch the last time; I’m not break ing an y law.”
And, and now I’m in this cloth ing (Bm7)store, a and the signs say less is (D)more.
More that’s tight means more to see, me more for them, not more for (Dsus4)me.
me.
And That can’t help me climb a tree ten sec onds (Gsus2)flat.
When I was a boy,
my see that pic ture?
That was (C69)me, grass stained shirt and dust y knees.
that I walked.
And I know things have got ta change.
Now They got pills to sell; they’ve got (C69)im plants dom to put in; do.
they got im plants to re move.
But I am not
for get
ness,
that I was a boy, too.
girl, too.
And you were just like me.
And (Dsus4)I was just
like you.
When I Was A Boy — Karaoke: Lyrics & Chords to Sing & Play Along
6 people have learned this song
Free karaoke for "When I Was A Boy" by Dar Williams: lyrics on screen with the chords above each line and a bouncing ball that lands on every word in time. Sing along, or play along on guitar or piano from the chord chart. Change the key to fit your voice, slow the tempo down. Key of G, 100 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “When I Was A Boy”
- What key is "When I Was A Boy" by Dar Williams played in?
- When I Was A Boy is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "When I Was A Boy"?
- The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "When I Was A Boy" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "When I Was A Boy"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "When I Was A Boy"?
- "When I Was A Boy" was originally performed by Dar Williams. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What chords are used in "When I Was A Boy"?
- This arrangement uses 6 chords: Bm7, C6, D, Dsus4, G, Gsus2.
- What other songs by Dar Williams can I play here?
- Try "THE CHRISTIANS AND THE PAGANS". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is there a karaoke version of "When I Was A Boy" with lyrics?
- Yes — this is a free karaoke slide for "When I Was A Boy" by Dar Williams. The lyrics appear on screen a line at a time and each word lights up exactly when it's sung, with a bouncing ball leading you word to word. A backing plays underneath so you can just sing.
- Does it show chords so I can play along on guitar or piano?
- It does — a chord symbol sits on a thin row just above the lyric it changes on, so the same screen doubles as a lyrics-and-chords chart. Guitarists can strum the changes and pianists can comp while singing; the chords are colour-coded and move with the live transpose if you change key.
- Can I change the key of "When I Was A Boy" to match my voice or capo?
- Yes. The original is in G, but the live transpose control shifts the whole song up or down semitones until the melody sits in your range (or maps to an easier guitar shape / capo position) — the on-screen chords and the backing move with it.
- Can I slow "When I Was A Boy" down to learn the words and chords?
- Yes — the tempo control lets you take it as slow as you need while the lyrics still light up in time and the ball keeps you on the beat. Speed it back up once you can sing and play it through.