When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going

by Billy Ocean
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Lyrics

Yeah

Oh (Eb)woh du du (Cm)da

I got some thing to (Cm)tell you,

I got some thing to (Ab)say.

I’m gon na (Eb)put this dream in (Cm)mo tion, nev er let (Eb)noth ing stand in my (Ab)way.

When the going gets tough,

the (Bb)tough get (Eb)go ing.

I’m gon na (Cm)get my a self ’cross the er, that’s the noth in’s gon na will ing to pay.

Your gon love’s make like a slow train de com ing, and give me love it in the old fash ioned (Ab)way, woh.

(Bb)Dar (Cm)lin’, I’ll (Ab)climb an y moun tain; (Bb)dar (Cm)lin’, I’ll (Ab)do an y thing.

Ooh (ooh), can (Cm)I touch ya (can I (Bb)touch ya) and (Eb)do the things that lov ers do?

Ooh (ooh), wan (Cm)na hold ya (wan na (Bb)hold ya): I (Eb)got to get it through to you.

Oh, when the (Eb)go ing gets tough, (Cm)(the tough get going): When the go ing gets rough, (the tough get rough): Hey (Ab)hey hey hey hey.

(Bb)Oh, (Eb)ba by.

I’m gon na

Woh woh oh oh oh.

Yeah yeah yeah.

(Bb)Dar (Cm)lin’, I’ll (Ab)climb an y moun tain; (Bb)dar (Cm)lin’, I’ll (Ab)swim ev ’ry sea.

(Bb)Dar (Cm)lin’, I’ll (Ab)reach for the heav en; (Bb)dar (Cm)lin’, with (Ab)you lov in’ (Bb)me, (CN.C.)ooh

(ooh).

Ooh, can I (Cm)touch ya (can I (Bb)touch ya) and (Eb)do the things that lov ers do?

Ooh (ooh), wan na (Cm)hold ya (wan na (Bb)hold ya): I (Eb)got to get it through to you.

When the go ing gets tough, (Cm)(go ing gets tough) go and get rough.

(Ab)(Go ing gets rough.) When the go ing gets tough, (Cm)(go ing gets tough) go and get rough.

(Ab)(Go ing gets rough.) When the go ing gets tough...

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going — Classic Piano Sheet Music

1 person has learned this song

Read "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Ab. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 132 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"?
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 Ab. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean played in?
When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going is arranged in the key of Ab on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"?
The arrangement plays at 132 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" 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 "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"?
"When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" was originally performed by Billy Ocean. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"?
This arrangement uses 7 chords: Ab, Bb, Bbm, Bbsus4, C, Cm, Eb.
What other songs by Billy Ocean can I play here?
Try "SUDDENLY", "THERE'LL BE SAD SONGS", "GET OUTTA MY DREAMS, GET INTO MY CAR". 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 — "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" 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 Ab, 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 132 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.

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