The Ballad of Billy the Kid Chords
by Billy Joel
The Ballad of Billy the Kid by Billy Joel is a more advanced guitar song played in the key of G. It uses the chords G, Em, F, C, D, Am7, D7sus4, Bm, C/D, G7sus4 and Dsus4. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
G Em F
From a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia
G Em F C D
Rode a boy with a six-gun in his hand
G Em
And his daring life of crime
F C
Made him a legend in his time
G Am7 D7sus4
East and West of the Rio Grande
F-F-C...C-F-D......F-F-C...C-F-D
G Em F
Well he started with a bank in Colorado
G Em F C D
In the pocket of his vest a Colt he hid
G Em
And his age and his size
F C
Took the teller by surprise
G Am7 D7sus4
And the word spread of Billy the Kid
F-F-C...C-F-D
G C D
Well he never travelled heavy
Em Bm
Yes, he always rode alone
C C/D G7sus4
And he soon put many older guns to shame
C D
Well he never had a sweetheart
Em Bm
And he never had a home
C Dsus4 Dsus4 D
But the cowboys and the ranchers knew his name
G Em F
Well he robbed his way from Utah to Oklahoma
G Em F C D
And the law just could not seem to track him down
G Em
And it served his legend well
F C
For the folks they love to tell
G Am7 D7sus4
'Bout when Billy the Kid came to town
Piano Solo
G Em F
One cold day a posse captured Billy
G Em F C D
And the judge said, "String 'im up for what he did."
G Em
And the cowboys and their kin
F C
Like the sea came pourin' in
G Am7 D7sus4
To watch the hangin' of Billy the Kid
G C D
Well he never travelled heavy
Em Bm
Yes, he always rode alone
C C/D G7sus4
And he soon put many older guns to shame
C D
Well he never had a sweetheart
Em Bm
But he finally found a home
C Dsus4 Dsus4 D
Underneath the boothill grave that bears his name
G Em F
From a town known as Oyster Bay, Long Island
G Em F C D
Rode a boy with a six-pack in his hand
G Em
And his daring life of crime
F C
Made him a legend in his time
G Am7 D7sus4
East and West of the Rio Grande