Only The Good Die Young

by Billy Joel
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Lyrics

(F)Come out a Vir gin ia, don’t let me wait.

You (F)Cath o lic a tem ple and locked you a way.

Ah, but (F)soon er or lat er it comes down to (Am)fate, I (F)might as well be the one.

Well, they showed (F)Come out a Vir ue, ia, told you to pray.

They (F)built o you a tem ple and locked you a way.

Ah, but (F)they nev er told you the price that you (Am)pay, the (F)things that you might have done.

Well, they showed

Well on ly the good die young,

that’s what I said.

On ly the good die

(F)young, on ly the good die young.

You might have heard I run with a dan ger ous crowd; we (F)ain’t too pret ty, we ain’t too proud.

We (F)might be laugh ing a bit too loud, ah, but (F)that nev er hurt no one.

So come on, there’s Vir gin en ia, for show me a sign; (F)send up a sig bet nal, I’ll I (C)throw you a line.

I’d rath er (F)laugh with the sin ners than cry ing be hind the (F)nev er lets in the sun.

You Dar lin’, on ly the good die young.

Whoa, what I (G)say.

on ly the good die

(F)young, on ly the good die young.

You got a (G)nice white dress and a (F)par ty on your con fir ma tion.

You’ve got a brand new soul

and a cross of gold.

But, Vir (G)gin ia, they did all n’t give you (F)quite e nough a in for ma tion.

You did n’t count (D)cared on me,

when you were count ing on your (F)ro sa ry, (G)oh (F)oh (C)oh.

And (G)they say there’s Vir gin en ia, for show who will wait; (F)some up say it’s bet ter but I (C)throw say it ain’t.

I’d rath er (F)laugh with the sin ners than cry with the saints, the (F)sin ners are much more fun.

You know that on ly the good die young,

that’s what I (G)say.

On ly the good die

(F)young, on ly the good die young.

You got a (G)nice white dress and a (F)par ty on your con fir ma tion.

You’ve got a brand new soul

and a cross of gold.

Said your (G)moth er told you all that I could (F)give you was a rep u ta tion.

You She nev er (D)cared for me.

but did she ev er say a (F)pray’r for me, (G)oh (F)oh (C)oh.

Come (G)out, come out, Vir gin ia, don’t let me wait.

You (F)Cath o lic girls start much too late.

Ah, but (F)soon er or lat er it comes down to (Am)fate, I (F)might as well be the one.

You know that on ly the good die young,

that’s what I (G)say.

On ly the good die

(F)young, on ly the good die young.

On ly the good die

(F)young, on ly the good die young.

On ly the good

Only The Good Die Young — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial

6 people have learned this song

Watch "Only The Good Die Young" by Billy Joel in falling notes style — like Synthesia. Color-coded notes fall onto the keyboard in real time. Practice left hand, right hand, or both. Key of C, 148 BPM.

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

About “Only The Good Die Young”

Can I learn "Only The Good Die Young" with falling notes like Synthesia?
Yes — Falling Notes mode shows colored note shapes dropping onto a virtual keyboard, the same visual style as Synthesia or piano-tile games. Each note's column matches the piano key you press. Works for "Only The Good Die Young" with hands-separate practice in C at 148 BPM.
What key is "Only The Good Die Young" by Billy Joel played in?
Only The Good Die Young 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 "Only The Good Die Young"?
The arrangement plays at 148 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Only The Good Die Young" 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 "Only The Good Die Young"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Only The Good Die Young"?
"Only The Good Die Young" was originally performed by Billy Joel. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Only The Good Die Young"?
This arrangement uses 7 chords: Am, C, Cdom, D, Dbdom, 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.
Can I practice left and right hand separately for "Only The Good Die Young"?
Yes! Our Top Down mode lets you isolate the left hand (bass clef), right hand (treble clef), or play both together. This makes it easy to master "Only The Good Die Young" one hand at a time before combining them.
What is falling notes style for "Only The Good Die Young"?
Falling notes (also known as Synthesia or piano waterfall) shows color-coded rectangles falling from the top of the screen onto a virtual keyboard. Each note's position matches the piano key you need to press. "Only The Good Die Young" is in the key of C at 148 BPM.