By: Billy Joel
This is my interpretation of the song as I hear it. I am a dueling pianist and
love to play and sing.
There are many chords in this song that are written as a triad over a bass note.
This is because you should listen to the song and work out the correct syncopation
with the bass and triad. If timed correctly, you will find this works very well.
The Esus4 which appears commonly throughout should not have a third. But if it
did, it should be thought of as an Em rather than EMaj.
Intro:
[Em] [G] [Em] [G]
[Em] [D6] [C] [F/C][C]
Verse 1:
Well you went [Esus4]uptown riding in your [G]limousine
With your [Esus4]fine Park Avenue [G]clothes
You had the [Esus4]Dom Perignon in your [D6]hand
And the spoon up your [C]nose[F/C][C]
And when you [Esus4]wake up in the morning With your [G]head on fire
And your [Esus4]eyes too bloody to [G]see
Go on and [Esus4]cry in your coffee but [D6]don't
Come bitchin' to [C]me[F/C][C]
Chorus:
Because you had to be a [G/F]big [F/C]shot, [G/F]didn't [F/C]you
You had to [G/F]open [F/C]up your [G/F]mouth
You had to be a [G]big [F/D]shot, [G]didn't [F/D]you
All your [G]friends were [F/D]so knocked [C]out
You [Em7]had to have the [G/F]last [F/C]word, [G/F]last [F/C]night
You know what [G/F]every[F/C]thing's a[F]bout
You had to have a [F/C]white [C]hot [F/C]spotl[C]ight
You [G/C]had to be a [G/D]big [D]shot [G/D]last [D]night
Break - Same as Intro:
[Em] [G] [Em] [G]
[Em] [D6] [C] [F/C][C]
Verse 2:
They were [Esus4]all impressed with your [G]Halston dress
And the [Esus4]people that you knew at [G]Elaine's
And the [Esus4]story of your latest suc[G]cess
Kept 'em so enter[C]tained[F/C][C]
Aw but now you [Esus4]just can't remember all the [G]things you said
And you're [Esus4]not sure you want to [G]know
I'll give you [Esus4]one hint, honey you [D6]sure
Did put on a [C]sho[F/C]w[C]
Chorus:
Yes, yes, you had to be a [G/F]big [F/C]shot, [G/F]didn't [F/C]you
You had to [G/F]prove it [F/C]to the [G/F]crowd
You had to be a [G]big [F/D]shot, [G]didn't [F/D]you
All your [G]friends were [F/D]so knocked [C]out
You [Em7]had to have the [G/F]last [F/C]word, [G/F]last [F/C]night
You're so much [G/F]fun to [F/C]be aroun[F]d
You had to have the [F/C]front [C]page, [F/C]bold [C]type
You [G/C]had to be a [G/D]big [D]shot [G/D]last [D]night Whoa...
Bridge:
[F]Whoa [F/A]oh [F/C]oh [C]whoa [C/E]whoa[C/G]
[G]Whoa [G/B]oh [G/D]oh [D7]whoa whoa
[F]Whoa [F/A]oh [F/C]oh [C]whoa [C/E]whoa[C/G]
[G]Whoa [G/B]oh [G/D]oh [D7]whoa whoa
Verse 3:
Well, it's [Esus4]no big sin to stick your [G]two cents in
If you [Esus4]know when to leave it alon[G]e
But you went [Esus4]over the line you couldn't [D6]see
It was time to go [C]home[F/C][C]
Chorus:
No, no, no, no, no, no, you had to be a [G/F]big [F/C]shot, [G/F]didn't [F/C]you
You had to [G/F]open [F/C]up your [G/F]mouth
You had to be a [G]big [F/D]shot, [G]didn't [F/D]you
All your [G]friends were [F/D]so knocked [C]out
You [Em7]had to have the [G/F]last [F/C]word, [G/F]last [F/C]night
So much [G/F]fun to [F/C]be aroun[F]d
You had to have a [F/C]white [C]hot [F/C]spotl[C]ight
You [G/C]had to be a [G/D]big [D]shot [G/D]last [D]night
Fade Out on Chorus Chords:
[G/F] [F/C] [G/F] [F/C]
[G/F] [F/C] [G/F] [F/C]
[G] [F/D] [G] [F/D]
[G] [F/D] [G] [F/D]
This is my interpretation of the song as I hear it. I am a dueling pianist and
love to play and sing.
There are many chords in this song that are written as a triad over a bass note.
This is because you should listen to the song and work out the correct syncopation
with the bass and triad. If timed correctly, you will find this works very well.
The Esus4 which appears commonly throughout should not have a third. But if it
did, it should be thought of as an Em rather than EMaj.
Intro:
[Em] [G] [Em] [G]
[Em] [D6] [C] [F/C][C]
Verse 1:
Well you went [Esus4]uptown riding in your [G]limousine
With your [Esus4]fine Park Avenue [G]clothes
You had the [Esus4]Dom Perignon in your [D6]hand
And the spoon up your [C]nose[F/C][C]
And when you [Esus4]wake up in the morning With your [G]head on fire
And your [Esus4]eyes too bloody to [G]see
Go on and [Esus4]cry in your coffee but [D6]don't
Come bitchin' to [C]me[F/C][C]
Chorus:
Because you had to be a [G/F]big [F/C]shot, [G/F]didn't [F/C]you
You had to [G/F]open [F/C]up your [G/F]mouth
You had to be a [G]big [F/D]shot, [G]didn't [F/D]you
All your [G]friends were [F/D]so knocked [C]out
You [Em7]had to have the [G/F]last [F/C]word, [G/F]last [F/C]night
You know what [G/F]every[F/C]thing's a[F]bout
You had to have a [F/C]white [C]hot [F/C]spotl[C]ight
You [G/C]had to be a [G/D]big [D]shot [G/D]last [D]night
Break - Same as Intro:
[Em] [G] [Em] [G]
[Em] [D6] [C] [F/C][C]
Verse 2:
They were [Esus4]all impressed with your [G]Halston dress
And the [Esus4]people that you knew at [G]Elaine's
And the [Esus4]story of your latest suc[G]cess
Kept 'em so enter[C]tained[F/C][C]
Aw but now you [Esus4]just can't remember all the [G]things you said
And you're [Esus4]not sure you want to [G]know
I'll give you [Esus4]one hint, honey you [D6]sure
Did put on a [C]sho[F/C]w[C]
Chorus:
Yes, yes, you had to be a [G/F]big [F/C]shot, [G/F]didn't [F/C]you
You had to [G/F]prove it [F/C]to the [G/F]crowd
You had to be a [G]big [F/D]shot, [G]didn't [F/D]you
All your [G]friends were [F/D]so knocked [C]out
You [Em7]had to have the [G/F]last [F/C]word, [G/F]last [F/C]night
You're so much [G/F]fun to [F/C]be aroun[F]d
You had to have the [F/C]front [C]page, [F/C]bold [C]type
You [G/C]had to be a [G/D]big [D]shot [G/D]last [D]night Whoa...
Bridge:
[F]Whoa [F/A]oh [F/C]oh [C]whoa [C/E]whoa[C/G]
[G]Whoa [G/B]oh [G/D]oh [D7]whoa whoa
[F]Whoa [F/A]oh [F/C]oh [C]whoa [C/E]whoa[C/G]
[G]Whoa [G/B]oh [G/D]oh [D7]whoa whoa
Verse 3:
Well, it's [Esus4]no big sin to stick your [G]two cents in
If you [Esus4]know when to leave it alon[G]e
But you went [Esus4]over the line you couldn't [D6]see
It was time to go [C]home[F/C][C]
Chorus:
No, no, no, no, no, no, you had to be a [G/F]big [F/C]shot, [G/F]didn't [F/C]you
You had to [G/F]open [F/C]up your [G/F]mouth
You had to be a [G]big [F/D]shot, [G]didn't [F/D]you
All your [G]friends were [F/D]so knocked [C]out
You [Em7]had to have the [G/F]last [F/C]word, [G/F]last [F/C]night
So much [G/F]fun to [F/C]be aroun[F]d
You had to have a [F/C]white [C]hot [F/C]spotl[C]ight
You [G/C]had to be a [G/D]big [D]shot [G/D]last [D]night
Fade Out on Chorus Chords:
[G/F] [F/C] [G/F] [F/C]
[G/F] [F/C] [G/F] [F/C]
[G] [F/D] [G] [F/D]
[G] [F/D] [G] [F/D]
