Big Shot Chords

by Billy Joel
66,158 views, added to favorites 3,750 times
Difficulty: advanced
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: no capo
Author musicforte [a] 916.
2 contributors total, last edit on Apr 19, 2018
We have an official Big Shot tab made by UG professional guitarists.
Check out the tab

Chords

Em
G
D6
C
F/C
Esus4
G/F
F/D
Em7
F
G/C
G/D
D
F/A
C/E
C/G
G/B
D7

Strumming

There is no strumming pattern for this song yet. Create and get +5 IQ
Big Shot
By: Billy Joel
There are many chords in this song that are written as a triad over a bass note.
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]
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
X
By helping UG you make the world better... and earn IQ
Create correction
Please rate this tab
 
×
Big Shot – Billy Joel
How to play
"Big Shot"
Font
Transpose