• Song:

    Big Shot

  • Artist:

    Billy Joel

  • Album:

    2000 Years: The Millenn...

Big Shot
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:

              Esus4                 G
Well you went uptown riding in your limousine
          Esus4            G
With your fine Park Avenue clothes
            Esus4                D6
You had the Dom Perignon in your hand
                      C    F/C    C
And the spoon up your nose


             Esus4                            G
And when you wake up in the morning With your head on fire
         Esus4              G
And your eyes too bloody to see
          Esus4                  D6
Go on and cry in your coffee but don't 
                 C      F/C     C
Come bitchin' to me



Chorus:

                        G/F F/C   G/F    F/C
Because you had to be a big shot, didn't you
           G/F  F/C     G/F
You had to open up your mouth
                G   F/D   G      F/D
You had to be a big shot, didn't you
         G            F/D        C
All your friends were so knocked out
    Em7             G/F  F/C   G/F  F/C
You had to have the last word, last night
              G/F  F/C      F
You know what everything's about
                  F/C   C   F/C  C
You had to have a white hot spotlight
    G/C         G/D D    G/D  D
You had to be a big shot last night



Break - Same as Intro:

Em              G               Em              G
Em              D6              C       F/C     C



Verse 2:

          Esus4                   G
They were all impressed with your Halston dress
        Esus4                   G
And the people that you knew at Elaine's
        Esus4                   G
And the story of your latest success
                 C      F/C     C
Kept 'em so entertained


               Esus4                       G
Aw but now you just can't remember all the things you said
           Esus4                G
And you're not sure you want to know
              Esus4               D6
I'll give you one hint, honey you sure 
             C  F/C     C
Did put on a show



Chorus:

                          G/F F/C   G/F    F/C
Yes, yes, you had to be a big shot, didn't you
           G/F      F/C    G/F
You had to prove it to the crowd
                G   F/D   G      F/D
You had to be a big shot, didn't you
         G            F/D        C
All your friends were so knocked out
    Em7             G/F  F/C   G/F  F/C
You had to have the last word, last night
               G/F    F/C     F
You're so much fun to be around
                    F/C   C     F/C  C
You had to have the front page, bold type
    G/C         G/D D    G/D  D
You had to be a big shot last night Whoa...



Bridge:

F    F/A  F/C   C    C/E  C/G
Whoa oh   oh    whoa whoa
G    G/B  G/D   D7
Whoa oh   oh    whoa whoa
F    F/A  F/C   C    C/E  C/G
Whoa oh   oh    whoa whoa
G    G/B  G/D   D7
Whoa oh   oh    whoa whoa



Verse 3:

           Esus4                    G
Well, it's no big sin to stick your two cents in
       Esus4                     G
If you know when to leave it alone
             Esus4                      D6
But you went over the line you couldn't see 
                  C     F/C     C
It was time to go home



Chorus:

                                        G/F F/C   G/F    F/C
No, no, no, no, no, no, you had to be a big shot, didn't you
           G/F  F/C     G/F
You had to open up your mouth
                G   F/D   G      F/D
You had to be a big shot, didn't you
         G            F/D        C
All your friends were so knocked out
    Em7             G/F  F/C   G/F  F/C
You had to have the last word, last night
        G/F    F/C     F
So much fun to be around
                  F/C   C   F/C  C
You had to have a white hot spotlight
    G/C         G/D D    G/D  D
You had to be a big shot last 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
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