You Don't Mess Around With Jim

by Jim Croce
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Lyrics

(E)Up town got its hus tlers,

the Bow ’ry got its bums.

For ty sec ond Street got big Jim Walk er; he a pool shoot in’ son of a gun

Yeah, (E7)he big and dumb as a man can come but he (A)strong er than a (D)coun try hoss.

And when the (B7)bad folks all get to (A7)geth er at night, you know they (B7)all call big Jim “Boss”

just be cause.

And they say, “You don’t (A7)tug on Su per man’s (E)cape, you don’t (A7)spit in to the (E7)wind, you don’t (A7)pull the mask off the old Lone Rang er, and you (B7)don’t mess a round with Jim.”

Well, out a (E)south Al a bam a come a coun try boy.

He said, “I’m look in’ for a man named Jim.

I am a pool shoot in’ boy, my name is Wil lie Mc Coy, but down home they call me “Slim.”

Yeah, (E7)I’m look in’ for the (D)king of For ty (A7)sec ond Street, he (D)driv in’ a drop top (D)Cad il lac.

(D)Last week he took all my mon ey and it (A7)may sound fun ny but I (B7)come to get my mon ey back.” And ev ’ry bod y (E)say, “Jack, don’t you (E7)know that you don’t

Well, a hush fell o ver the pool room, Jim my come bop pin’ in off the street.

And when the cut tin’ were done the on ly part that was n’t blood y was the soles of the big man’s feet.

Yeah, (E7)he were (A)cut in ’bout a (D)hun dred plac es, and he were (A7)shot in a (D)cou ple more.

And you (B7)bet ter be lieve they sung a (A7)dif f’rent kind of sto ry when a (B7)big Jim hit the floor, oh.

Now they say you don’t (A7)tug on Su per man’s (E)cape, you don’t (A7)spit in to the (E7)wind, you don’t (A7)pull the mask off the old Lone Rang ger and you (B7)don’t mess a round with “Slim.”

You Don't Mess Around With Jim — Simple Sheet Music

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"You Don't Mess Around With Jim" in simplified sheet music format — the bridge between beginner modes and real sheet music. Color-coded notes with lyrics scrolling horizontally. Perfect for learning to read music. Key of E, 145 BPM.

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

About “You Don't Mess Around With Jim

What key is "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce played in?
You Don't Mess Around With Jim is arranged in the key of E on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"?
The arrangement plays at 145 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" 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 "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"?
"You Don't Mess Around With Jim" was originally performed by Jim Croce. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.

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