You May Be Right - Billy Joel
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
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


(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]
(same chords as verse 1)

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]
(same chords as verse 1)

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]
(same chords as verse 1)

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


[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.


[Refrain]


[Outro]

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

Have fun, and good luck...

************************************

| p Pull-off
| / Slide up
| ~ Vibrato
| P Pop
| b bend

************************************
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Billy Joel - You May Be Right
Tabbed by http://www.youtube.com/user/BaddGuitar

(sound effect - Breaking glass)

Intro Riff: (try to let the A string ring throughout)
-----3-2--0---3-2--0---3-2--0---3-2--0---3-2--0---3-2--0-----|
---------3--------3--------3--------3--------3--------3------|
------------2--------2--------2--------2--------2--------2---|
-------------------------------------------------------------|
--0----------(0)------(0)-------(0)------(0)------(0)--------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|

Verse 1
A
Friday night I crashed your party
A
Saturday I said I'm sorry
A E
Sunday came and trashed me out again
Bm
I was only having fun
G
Wasn't hurting anyone
E A (Intro Riff)
And we all enjoyed the weekend for a change

Verse 2
A
I've been stranded in the combat zone
A
I walked through Bedford Sty alone
A E
Even rode my motorcycle in the rain
Bm
And you told me not to drive
G
But I made it home alive
E A
So you said that only proves that I'm insane

E A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------2---|
----------------------------------2--------------------------2-2-4-2-2---|
--------------------------2-2-4-2-2------------------0-0-3-4---------0---|
------------------0-0-3-4---------0--------------------------------------|
You may be right I may be crazy

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

E A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------2---|
----------------------------------2--------------------------2-2-4-2-2---|
--------------------------2-2-4-2-2------------------0-0-3-4---------0---|
------------------0-0-3-4---------0--------------------------------------|
Turn out the light Don't try to save me

D E A (Intro Riff)
You may be wrong for all I know, but you may be right

Verse 3

A
Remember how I found you there
A
Alone in your electric chair
A E
I told you dirty jokes until you smiled
Bm
You were lonely for a man
G
I said take me as I am
E A (Intro Riff)
'Cause you might enjoy some madness for a while


Verse 4

A
Now think of all the years you tried to
A
Find someone to satisfy you
A E
I might be as crazy as you say
Bm
If I'm crazy then it's true
G
That it's all because of you
E A
And you wouldn't want me any other way

E A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------2---|
----------------------------------2--------------------------2-2-4-2-2---|
--------------------------2-2-4-2-2------------------0-0-3-4---------0---|
------------------0-0-3-4---------0--------------------------------------|
You may be right I may be crazy

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

E A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------2---|
----------------------------------2--------------------------2-2-4-2-2---|
--------------------------2-2-4-2-2------------------0-0-3-4---------0---|
------------------0-0-3-4---------0--------------------------------------|
Too late to fight too late to change me

D E A (Intro Riff)
You may be wrong for all I know, but you may be right


Solo

------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----5-|
--3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---3/5---|
--------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------------------------------|

----5-7-9--11-11-11-11-11-9--11-11-11-11-11-11-----9------------|
--5----------------------------------------------9---12---------|
--------------------------------------------------------11b-9-9-|
----------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------|

Bm G E A
(sax solo)


E A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------2---|
----------------------------------2--------------------------2-2-4-2-2---|
--------------------------2-2-4-2-2------------------0-0-3-4---------0---|
------------------0-0-3-4---------0--------------------------------------|
You may be right I may be crazy

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

E A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------2---|
----------------------------------2--------------------------2-2-4-2-2---|
--------------------------2-2-4-2-2------------------0-0-3-4---------0---|
------------------0-0-3-4---------0--------------------------------------|
Turn out the lights don’t try to save me

D E A (Intro Riff)
You may be wrong for all I know, but you may be right

(Intro Riff - repeat and fade)
You may be wrong but you may be right
Song info
You May Be Right
Billy Joel
2001
  • Rock
  • Pop Rock
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