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Famous Last Words

Billy Joel

RockAdvanced for beginners6 chords

How to play it

Fingering diagrams for the shapes in this song. × = don't play, ○ = open string.

C×
F
G
BbDiagram coming soon
EbDiagram coming soon
AbDiagram coming soon

Chords & lyrics

Chord names sit directly above the word where you change.

Text size
 
              Intro: C C F F (2x) 
 
C                      F 
  Sitting here in Avalon,  looking at the pouring rain 
C                             F      
  Summer time has come and gone,  and everybody's home again 
G                                        Bb                  C 
  Closing down for the season, I found the last of the souvenirs 
G                                           Bb                  C            
  I can still taste the wedding cake and it's sweet after all these years 
 
Chorus: 
F             Bb         C   
  These are the last words I have to say 
F               Bb           C 
  That's why this took so long to write 
F             Bb            C 
  There will be other words some other day 
F              Bb        C 
  But that's the story of my life 
 
C                               F 
  There's comfort in my coffee cup and apples in the early fall 
C                                  F 
  They're pulling all the moorings up and gathering at the Legion Hall 
G                                           Bb        C 
  They swept away all the streamers after the Labor Day parade 
G                                    Bb           C 
  Nothing left for a dreamer now, only one final serenade 
 
Chorus: 
F                 Bb         C 
  And these are the last words I have to say 
F        Bb           C 
  Before another age goes by 
F              Bb             C 
  With all those other songs I'll have to play 
F              Bb        C  G  F 
  But that's the story of my life 
 
F           Bb           F          C 
  And it's so clear standing here where I am 
Eb              Bb       F 
  Ain't that what justice is for? 
Ab          Eb          Bb   F  C 
  Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn anymore 
 
Solo: 
C  C  F  F 
C  C  F  F 
 
G  
  Stack the chairs on the table tops 
           Bb                F 
  Hang the sheets on the chandeliers 
G 
  It slows down but it never stops 
           Bb                  F 
  Ain't it sweet after all these years 
 
Chorus: 
F                 Bb         C 
  And these are the last words I have to say 
F           Bb        C 
  It's always hard to say goodbye 
F            Bb             C 
  But now it's time to put this book away 
F              Bb        C 
  Ain't that the story of my life 
 
Chorus: 
F             Bb         C   
  These are the last words I have to say 
F               Bb           C 
  That's why this took so long to write 
F             Bb            C 
  There will be other words some other day 
F              Bb        C 
  But that's the story of my life 
 
Chorus: 
F                 Bb         C 
  And these are the last words I have to say 
F        Bb           C 
  Before another age goes by 
F              Bb             C 
  With all those other songs I'll have to play 
F              Bb        C 
  But that's the story of my life 
 
Outro: C  C  F  F 
          
 

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Chord set

C · F · G · Bb · Eb · Ab

Practice tip

Loop the first two chords slowly until the change is clean, then add the rest.