Billy Joel You May Be Right guitar tab

You May Be Right by Billy Joel

                        You May Be Right
                 Music and Lyrics by Billy Joel
                From the album GLASS HOUSES (1980)
   Also available on BILLY JOEL GREATEST HITS VOLUME II (1985)

This is definitely a two guitar song, but

THE MAIN RIFF:

     A

E ---------3-2---0------3-2---0-----3-2---0-----3-2---0---------|
B -------------3------------3-----------3-----------3-----------|
G ---2---2------------2-----------2-----------2-----------------|
D --------------------------------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

The chord playing underneath is the song's key -- A -- but the
above riff is most comfortably fretted as an open D and then
single-note picked.  It's sort of a combination of a D and an
A7sus:

     D              A7sus

E ---2--------------3-------------------------------------------|
B ---3--------------3-------------------------------------------|
G ---2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
D ---0--------------2-------------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

Try it, and I think it will be clearer than my explanation.


CHORDS USED IN THIS SONG:

   A   E7  Bm  G   E   D   F#m7

E -----0---2---3---0---2---2---------|
B -2---3---3---0---0---3---2---------|
G -2---1---4---0---1---2---2---------|
D -2---2---4---0---2---0---2---------|
A -0---2---2---2---2-----------------|
E -----0-------3---0-----------------|


THE LYRICS AND CHORDS:

VERSE 1
A
Friday night I trashed your party  Saturday I said I'm sorry

                               E7
Sunday came and trashed me out again

      Bm                     G
I was only having fun wasn't hurting anyone

       E                             A
And we all enjoyed the weekend for a change

VERSE 2
I was stranded in the combat zone, I walked through Bedford Stuy
     alone
Even rode my motorcycle in the rain
And you told me not to drive, but I made it home alive
So you said that only proves that I'm insane

REFRAIN

           E
You may be right

E --------------------------------------------------------------|
B --------------------------------------------------------------|
G --------------------------------------------------------------|
D --------------------------------------------------------------|
A ---------------2--2--4--2-------------------------------------|
E ---0--0--3--4--------------0----------------------------------|

         A
I may be crazy

E --------------------------------------------------------------|
B --------------------------------------------------------------|
G --------------------------------------------------------------|
D ---------------2--2--4--2-------------------------------------|
A ---0--0--3--4--------------0----------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

       E             D              F#m7          A
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for

             E                        A
Turn off the light       Don't try to save me

           D               E                   A
You may be wrong for all I know but you may be right

VERSE 3
Oh, remember how I found you there
Alone in your electric chair
I told you dirty jokes until you smiled
You were lonely for a man, I said "Take me as I am"
'Cause you might enjoy some madness for a while

VERSE 4
Now think of all the years you tried to find someone to satisfy
     you
I might be as crazy as you say
If I'm crazy then it's true that it's all because of you
And you wouldn't want it any other way

REPEAT REFRAIN

SOLO

E -----5-----5-----5-----5-----5------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-|
B --/4-5--/4-5--/4-5--/4-5--/4-5---/4-5--/4-5--/4-5--/4-5--/4-5-|
G --------------------------------------------------------------|
D --------------------------------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

E -------------------12--------12--------12--------12--------12-|
B --5/7-P10--12b(14)---12b(14)---12b(14)---12b(14)---12b(14)----|
G --------------------------------------------------------------|
D --------------------------------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

E ---------------------------------------------------------12---|
B ---------14-12------------------12-15-15~-15-15~-15-15-15--15-|
G -12b(13)-------b(13)12-------14-------------------------------|
D -----------------------14-------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E -----------------------------(sax arranged for guitar)--------|

E ------------------------------12------------12-12--12-12------|
B ----12-15-15~-15-15~-15-15-15----15---12-15-------------------|
G -14-----------------------------------------------------------|
D --------------------------------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

E -12-12-12-14-17---14-12---------------------------------------|
B -------------------------14p12--------------------------------|
G --------------------------------14p11--14---------------------|
D --------------------------------------------------------------|
A --------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------------------------------------------------------------|

                        ** SOLO NOTES **

The first line is Chuck Berry flavored, like the opening to many
of his songs.  In the second line, the whole step bend on the
12th fret on the B string [12b(14)] is tricky; I often cheat it
and actually do a half step bend from the 13th fret [making it
13b(14)] because there's more room for your fingers, and if you
play it correctly, nobody but you will know the difference.
Also, in the third line, the G-string bend is a bitch, but it
apparently really is what he's playing, and it's a nice slow
bend; a little practice and you should be able to do it
perfectly.


REPEAT REFRAIN

A
You may be wrong but you may be right...(REPEAT AND FADE)


Have fun, and good luck...

Dan
[email protected]