Rock, Pop

Only the Good Die Young Chords

Billy Joel Beginner Key of C 4 Chords 3 min read

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Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

C · F · G · Am

Billy Joel’s classic rock song about a young man trying to persuade a Catholic girl to go out with him. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Keep the rhythm steady and driving.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait

F

You Catholic girls start much too late

C

But sooner or later it comes down to fate

G

I might as well be the one

Verse 2

C G

They showed you a statue, told you to pray

F

They built you a temple and locked you a-way

C

But they never told you the price that you pay

G

For things that you might have done

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Verse 3

C G

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd

F

We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud

C

We might be laughing a bit too loud

G

But that never hurt no one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Bridge

F C

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign

G F

Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line

C G

The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding be-hind

F

Never lets in the sun

Dm G

Darlin’, only the good die young

Verse 4

C G

I tell you, Virginia, I’m not so smart

F

But I know what I like and I like what I start

C

I might have made a few false starts

G

But you are the one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Outro

F C

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation

F C

You got a brand new soul, mmm, and a cross of gold

F C

But Virginia, they didn’t give you quite e-nough information

F C

You didn’t count on me when you were counting on your rosary

F C

And they say there’s a heaven for those who will wait

F C

Some say it’s better, but I say it ain’t

F C

I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints

F C

The sinners are much more fun

F C

You know that only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

Practice tip: Focus on the quick change from C to G and back, as it’s the most common transition in the song.

Ctap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

C · F · G · Am

Billy Joel’s classic rock song about a young man trying to persuade a Catholic girl to go out with him. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Keep the rhythm steady and driving.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait

F

You Catholic girls start much too late

C

But sooner or later it comes down to fate

G

I might as well be the one

Verse 2

C G

They showed you a statue, told you to pray

F

They built you a temple and locked you a-way

C

But they never told you the price that you pay

G

For things that you might have done

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Verse 3

C G

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd

F

We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud

C

We might be laughing a bit too loud

G

But that never hurt no one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Bridge

F C

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign

G F

Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line

C G

The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding be-hind

F

Never lets in the sun

Dm G

Darlin’, only the good die young

Verse 4

C G

I tell you, Virginia, I’m not so smart

F

But I know what I like and I like what I start

C

I might have made a few false starts

G

But you are the one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Outro

F C

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation

F C

You got a brand new soul, mmm, and a cross of gold

F C

But Virginia, they didn’t give you quite e-nough information

F C

You didn’t count on me when you were counting on your rosary

F C

And they say there’s a heaven for those who will wait

F C

Some say it’s better, but I say it ain’t

F C

I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints

F C

The sinners are much more fun

F C

You know that only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

Practice tip: Focus on the quick change from C to G and back, as it’s the most common transition in the song.

Ctap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

C · F · G · Am

Billy Joel’s classic rock song about a young man trying to persuade a Catholic girl to go out with him. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Keep the rhythm steady and driving.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait

F

You Catholic girls start much too late

C

But sooner or later it comes down to fate

G

I might as well be the one

Verse 2

C G

They showed you a statue, told you to pray

F

They built you a temple and locked you a-way

C

But they never told you the price that you pay

G

For things that you might have done

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Verse 3

C G

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd

F

We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud

C

We might be laughing a bit too loud

G

But that never hurt no one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Bridge

F C

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign

G F

Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line

C G

The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding be-hind

F

Never lets in the sun

Dm G

Darlin’, only the good die young

Verse 4

C G

I tell you, Virginia, I’m not so smart

F

But I know what I like and I like what I start

C

I might have made a few false starts

G

But you are the one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Outro

F C

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation

F C

You got a brand new soul, mmm, and a cross of gold

F C

But Virginia, they didn’t give you quite e-nough information

F C

You didn’t count on me when you were counting on your rosary

F C

And they say there’s a heaven for those who will wait

F C

Some say it’s better, but I say it ain’t

F C

I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints

F C

The sinners are much more fun

F C

You know that only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

Practice tip: Focus on the quick change from C to G and back, as it’s the most common transition in the song.

Ctap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

C · F · G · Am

Billy Joel’s classic rock song about a young man trying to persuade a Catholic girl to go out with him. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Keep the rhythm steady and driving.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait

F

You Catholic girls start much too late

C

But sooner or later it comes down to fate

G

I might as well be the one

Verse 2

C G

They showed you a statue, told you to pray

F

They built you a temple and locked you a-way

C

But they never told you the price that you pay

G

For things that you might have done

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Verse 3

C G

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd

F

We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud

C

We might be laughing a bit too loud

G

But that never hurt no one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Bridge

F C

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign

G F

Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line

C G

The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding be-hind

F

Never lets in the sun

Dm G

Darlin’, only the good die young

Verse 4

C G

I tell you, Virginia, I’m not so smart

F

But I know what I like and I like what I start

C

I might have made a few false starts

G

But you are the one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Outro

F C

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation

F C

You got a brand new soul, mmm, and a cross of gold

F C

But Virginia, they didn’t give you quite e-nough information

F C

You didn’t count on me when you were counting on your rosary

F C

And they say there’s a heaven for those who will wait

F C

Some say it’s better, but I say it ain’t

F C

I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints

F C

The sinners are much more fun

F C

You know that only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

Practice tip: Focus on the quick change from C to G and back, as it’s the most common transition in the song.

Ctap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

C · F · G · Am

Billy Joel’s classic rock song about a young man trying to persuade a Catholic girl to go out with him. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Keep the rhythm steady and driving.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait

F

You Catholic girls start much too late

C

But sooner or later it comes down to fate

G

I might as well be the one

Verse 2

C G

They showed you a statue, told you to pray

F

They built you a temple and locked you a-way

C

But they never told you the price that you pay

G

For things that you might have done

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Verse 3

C G

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd

F

We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud

C

We might be laughing a bit too loud

G

But that never hurt no one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Bridge

F C

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign

G F

Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line

C G

The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding be-hind

F

Never lets in the sun

Dm G

Darlin’, only the good die young

Verse 4

C G

I tell you, Virginia, I’m not so smart

F

But I know what I like and I like what I start

C

I might have made a few false starts

G

But you are the one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Outro

F C

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation

F C

You got a brand new soul, mmm, and a cross of gold

F C

But Virginia, they didn’t give you quite e-nough information

F C

You didn’t count on me when you were counting on your rosary

F C

And they say there’s a heaven for those who will wait

F C

Some say it’s better, but I say it ain’t

F C

I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints

F C

The sinners are much more fun

F C

You know that only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

Practice tip: Focus on the quick change from C to G and back, as it’s the most common transition in the song.

Ctap to play

Ftap to play

Gtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

C Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

C · F · G · Am

Billy Joel’s classic rock song about a young man trying to persuade a Catholic girl to go out with him. Beginner difficulty in the key of C.

Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Keep the rhythm steady and driving.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

C G

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait

F

You Catholic girls start much too late

C

But sooner or later it comes down to fate

G

I might as well be the one

Verse 2

C G

They showed you a statue, told you to pray

F

They built you a temple and locked you a-way

C

But they never told you the price that you pay

G

For things that you might have done

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Verse 3

C G

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd

F

We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud

C

We might be laughing a bit too loud

G

But that never hurt no one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Bridge

F C

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign

G F

Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line

C G

The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding be-hind

F

Never lets in the sun

Dm G

Darlin’, only the good die young

Verse 4

C G

I tell you, Virginia, I’m not so smart

F

But I know what I like and I like what I start

C

I might have made a few false starts

G

But you are the one

Chorus

F C

Only the good die young

F C

That’s what I said

F C

Only the good die young

F C

Only the good die young

Outro

F C

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation

F C

You got a brand new soul, mmm, and a cross of gold

F C

But Virginia, they didn’t give you quite e-nough information

F C

You didn’t count on me when you were counting on your rosary

F C

And they say there’s a heaven for those who will wait

F C

Some say it’s better, but I say it ain’t

F C

I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints

F C

The sinners are much more fun

F C

You know that only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

C

Only the good die young

Practice tip: Focus on the quick change from C to G and back, as it’s the most common transition in the song.