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James

Billy Joel

RockAdvanced for beginners21 chords

How to play it

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

Dm7Diagram coming soon
Gm7Diagram coming soon
C×○○
F
CmDiagram coming soon
D7××○
G○○○
F7Diagram coming soon
BbDiagram coming soon
E7○○○○
A×○○
Dm××○
Bbmaj7Diagram coming soon
Am7×○○○
Abmaj7Diagram coming soon
C#9Diagram coming soon
AbDiagram coming soon
AsusDiagram coming soon
E○○○
C7×○
A7×○○○

Chords & lyrics

Chord names sit directly above the word where you change.

Text size
 
              Dm7      Gm7                  C  
James... we were always friends, 
F                   Cm  D7    
From our childhood days 
Gm7                 C 
And we made our plans, 
F              Dm7     G       F/C C 
And we had to go our separate ways. 
F7/9              Bb 
I went on the road 
E7             A    
You pursued an education. 
  
Dm7     Gm7                 C  
James...do you like your life, 
F               Cm  D7    
Can you find release, 
Gm7                 C 
And will you ever change 
F              Dm7       G     F/C C 
Will you ever write your masterpiece. 
F7/9              Bb 
Are you still in school 
E7           A    
Living up to expectations... 
  
|Dm|Bbmaj7|Am7| 
James... 
Abmaj7                Gm7 
You were so relied upon 
C#9                  Bb      F     A 
everybody knows how hard you tried 
|Dm|Bbmaj7|Am7| 
Hey... 
     Ab                         Gm7 
just look at what a job you've done 
C#9          C          Asus     A 
Carrying the weight of family pride. 
  
Dm7      Gm7                  C  
James... you've been well behaved, 
F                      Cm  D7    
You've been working so hard 
Gm7                 C 
But will you always stay 
F              Dm7       G       F/C C 
Someone else's dream of who you are. 
F7/9                  Bb 
Do what's good for you 
E7           A    
or you're not good for anybody... 
  
James 
|Dm7|Gm7|C|F C/E| 
|Dm7|Gm7|C7|F A7| 
|Dm7|F/C C| 
  
F7/9              Bb 
I went on the road 
E7             A    
You pursued an education... 
  
|Dm|Bbmaj7|Am7| 
James... 
Abmaj7                 Gm7 
How you gonna know for sure 
C#9               Bb      F     A 
everything was so well organized. 
|Dm|Bbmaj7|Am7| 
Hey... 
    Ab               Gm7 
now everything is so secure, 
C#9          C          Asus     A 
and everybody else is satisfied. 
  
Dm7     Gm7                 C  
James... do you like your life, 
F               Cm  D7    
Can you find release 
Gm7                 C 
And will you ever change, 
F              Dm7       G     F/C C 
When will you write your masterpiece. 
F7/9                 Bb 
Do what's good for you 
E7                     A    
or you're not good for anybody... 
  
James...

Details

Rating

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Chord set

Dm7 · Gm7 · C · F · Cm · D7 · G · F7 · Bb · E7 · A · Dm · Bbmaj7 · Am7 · Abmaj7 · C#9 · Ab · Asus · E · C7 · A7

Practice tip

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