Big Shot

by Billy Joel
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Lyrics

(G)Well, you went (Em)up im town pressed rid ing in your (G)Hal lim ou sine, with your (Em)fine ple Park you Av e nue clothes.

You had the (Em)Dom ry Per ig non in your hand and the spoon up your nose.

(G)Ooh and when you (Em)wake up in the morn ing with your head on you fire and and your (Em)eye’s sure too you blood y to see.

I’ll give you (Em)one hint, your hon ey, you sure did bitch in’ to me.

Yes, Be cause you had to be a (G)big (F)shot, (G)didn’t (F)you.

You (G)had (F)to (G)prove (Am)pen (G)up (Am)the (G)mouth.

(G)You had to be a (G)big (F)shot (G)didn’t (F)you.

(G)All (Am)your (G)friends (Am)were (G)so (F)knocked out.

(G)You had to have the (G)last (F)word, (G)last (F)night, You (G)so (Am)much (G)fun (Am)to (G)thing’s (Am)a (G)round.

You had to have the (F)front (C)page, (F)spot (C)type, you had to be a (G)big (D)shot (G)last (D)night.

Whoa.

(G)Well, they were (Em)all im town pressed rid ing with your (G)Hal lim ston dress, and the (Em)peo ple that you knew at E laines,

You and the (Em)sto ry of your lat est suc cess kept ’em so en ter tained.

(G)Aw but now you (Em)just up don’t re mem ber all the things on you said and you’re not (Em)eye’s sure that you wan na know.

see.

I’ll give you (Em)one hint, your hon ey, you sure did put on a show.

Yes, yes, cause you had to be a (G)big (F)shot, (G)didn’t (F)you.

You (G)had (F)to (G)o (Am)it (G)to (Am)your (G)crowd.

(G)You had to be a (G)big (F)shot (G)didn’t (F)you.

(G)All (Am)your (G)friends (Am)were (G)so (F)knocked out.

(G)You had to have the (G)last (F)word, (G)last (F)night.

You (G)know (Am)what (G)ev (Am)’ry (G)be (Am)a (G)bout.

You had to have a (F)white (C)hot (F)bold (C)light, you had to be a (G)big (D)shot (G)last (D)night.

Whoa.

(G)Well, they were (D)night.

Whoa.

(F)Oh, oh, Whoa.

(G)Oh, oh, Whoa.

Oh, (F)oh, oh, Whoa.

Oh, (G)oh, oh Whoa.

It’s no big sin stick your two cents in if you know when to leave it a lone.

But you went (Em)o ver the line, you could n’t (Bm7)see it was time to go home.

(F)No, no, (F)no, (C)no, (G)no, no, you had to be a

(G)Big (F)shot.

Mm (G)big (F)shot.

(G)Big shot.

(G)Big (F)shot.

Mm (G)big (F)shot.

(G)Big shot.

Big Shot — Classic Piano Sheet Music

9 people have learned this song

Read "Big Shot" by Billy Joel in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of C. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 144 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “Big Shot”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Big Shot"?
Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature C. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Big Shot" by Billy Joel played in?
Big Shot is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Big Shot"?
The arrangement plays at 144 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Big Shot" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "Big Shot"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Big Shot"?
"Big Shot" was originally performed by Billy Joel. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Big Shot"?
This arrangement uses 8 chords: Am, Bm, Bm7, C, D, Em, F, G.
What other songs by Billy Joel can I play here?
Try "SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT", "EVERYBODY HAS A DREAM", "CAPTAIN JACK". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "Big Shot" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature C, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
Yes — slow the tempo from 144 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
Why can I click a note in the score?
Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.