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The Ballad Of Billy The Kid

Chords

Listen

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Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Capo on fret 2 (as written in this song)

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

1/21

Tempo 80 BPMVol

Sound:

Position

Step 1 / 21Position: 2

1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO openSpace = play/pause

The original song is in G but to get a version that sounds like Billy, I moved it to C.
These are the chord forms that I use.
Put the capo on fret 2 but only the first 5 strings, leave the 6th string (E) ring free. This simulates drop D
tuning but the sixth string still is in standard tune.
     C/D0320xx
   Em7/D0200xx
       D0002xx
      Bm224432
     Bm7224232
       C332010
       A002220
       G320001
   A7sus002030
     F#m244222
   D7sus000213
[Intro]
e|----D-----0Bm7---2---5-D-5--2C-----0D--3Bm7-----0--2---5--5D--5---C5--D-2-A------0------------|
B|-----3-------3---3-----3--3--1------3----3---------3-------3---3---1---3--2-----|
G|-----2------ 4---2-----2--2--0------2----2---------2-------2---2---0---2--2-----|
D|-----0-------4---4-----0--0--2------0----4---------4-------0---0---2---0--2-----|
A|-----0-------2---2-----0--0--3------0----2---------2-------0---0---3---0--0-----|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[Verse]
  From a tDown known as BmWheeling, West VirgCinia,
 rode a Dboy with a Bmsix gun in his ChandG  A  
  And his Ddaring life of cBmrime,  made him a leCgend in his tGimeD  
  East and Em7west of the A7susRio GrandeC/D  Em7/D  Em7/D  D  
[Verse]
  Well, he staDrted with a Bmbank in ColorCado,
 in the poDcket of his vBmest, a Colt he hCidG  A  
  And his Dage and his sBmize, took the tCeller by surprGiseD  
  And the woEm7rd spread of A7susBilly the KidC/D  Em7/D  Em7/D  D  
[Chorus]
  Well, he Gnever traveled hAeavy, yes, he Bmalways rode alF#mone
  And he soGon put many oG/Alder guns to shaD7susme
  And he neGver had a swAeetheart, and he nBmever had a hF#mome
  But the Gcowboy and the rancher knew his nameAsus4  A  
[Verse]
  Well, he rDobbed his way from BmUtah to OklahComa,
and the lDaw just could not sBmeem to track him CdGowAn
  And it seDrved his legend Bmwell, for the fColks,
 they'd love to tGellD  
  'Bout when BEm7illy the Kid A7suscame to townC/D  Em7/D  Em7/D  D  
(Repeat Intro)
[Verse]
  Well, oDne cold day a pBmosse captured BCilly,
 and the jDudge said, "String 'im Bmup for what he CdiGd!A"
  And the cDowboys and their Bmkin, like the sCea came pourin' GinD  
  To watch the hEm7angin',  A7susof Billy the KidC/D  Em7/D  Em7/D  D  
[Chorus]
  Well, he nGever traveled heAavy, yes, he Bmalways rode alF#mone
  And he soGon put many G/Aolder guns to shD7susame
  And he nGever had a swAeetheart, but he fBminally found a hF#mome
  UnderneGath the boothill grave that bears his naAsus4meA  
[Outro]
  From a tDown known as BmOyster Bay, Long ICsland,
 rode a bDoy with a Bmsix pack in his hCandG  A  
  And his dDaring life of cBmrime, made him a lCegend in his tGimeD  
  East and wEm7est A7susof the Rio GrandeC/D  Em7/D  Em7/D  D  

All chords in this song (14)

The story behind the song

Billy Joel is an American singer-songwriter and pianist who began his solo career in 1971. This song appears on his album Piano Man. While the provided information focuses on his band's evolution, the title itself hints at a narrative, suggesting a musical storytelling approach to the legendary figure of Billy the Kid. It plays like a musical journey into a classic American tale.

AI-written from these sources:List of Billy Joel band members — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

The Ballad Of Billy The Kid

by Billy Joel

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 2 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

C/D

Em7/D

Bm7

A7sus

F#m

D7sus

Em7

G/A

Asus4

The original song is in G but to get a version that sounds like Billy, I moved it to C.

These are the chord forms that I use.

Put the capo on fret 2 but only the first 5 strings, leave the 6th string (E) ring free. This simulates drop D

tuning but the sixth string still is in standard tune.

C/D

0320xx

Em7/D

0200xx

0002xx

224432

Bm7

224232

332010

002220

320001

A7sus

002030

F#m

244222

D7sus

000213

[Intro]

D Bm7 D C D Bm7 D C D A

e|---------0---2---5--5--2-----0--3-----0--2---5--5--5---5---2-------0------------|

B|-----3-------3---3-----3--3--1------3----3---------3-------3---3---1---3--2-----|

G|-----2------ 4---2-----2--2--0------2----2---------2-------2---2---0---2--2-----|

D|-----0-------4---4-----0--0--2------0----4---------4-------0---0---2---0--2-----|

A|-----0-------2---2-----0--0--3------0----2---------2-------0---0---3---0--0-----|

E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

[Verse]

D Bm C

From a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia,

D Bm C G A

rode a boy with a six gun in his hand

D Bm C G D

And his daring life of crime, made him a legend in his time

Em7 A7sus C/D Em7/D Em7/D D

East and west of the Rio Grande

[Verse]

D Bm C

Well, he started with a bank in Colorado,

D Bm C G A

in the pocket of his vest, a Colt he hid

D Bm C G D

And his age and his size, took the teller by surprise

Em7 A7sus C/D Em7/D Em7/D D

And the word spread of Billy the Kid

[Chorus]

G A Bm F#m

Well, he never traveled heavy, yes, he always rode alone

G G/A D7sus

And he soon put many older guns to shame

G A Bm F#m

And he never had a sweetheart, and he never had a home

G Asus4 A

But the cowboy and the rancher knew his name

[Verse]

D Bm C

Well, he robbed his way from Utah to Oklahoma,

D Bm C G A

and the law just could not seem to track him down

D Bm C

And it served his legend well, for the folks,

G D

they'd love to tell

Em7 A7sus C/D Em7/D Em7/D D

'Bout when Billy the Kid came to town

(Repeat Intro)

[Verse]

D Bm C

Well, one cold day a posse captured Billy,

D Bm C G A

and the judge said, "String 'im up for what he did!"

D Bm C G D

And the cowboys and their kin, like the sea came pourin' in

Em7 A7sus C/D Em7/D Em7/D D

To watch the hangin', of Billy the Kid

[Chorus]

G A Bm F#m

Well, he never traveled heavy, yes, he always rode alone

G G/A D7sus

And he soon put many older guns to shame

G A Bm F#m

And he never had a sweetheart, but he finally found a home

G Asus4 A

Underneath the boothill grave that bears his name

[Outro]

D Bm C

From a town known as Oyster Bay, Long Island,

D Bm C G A

rode a boy with a six pack in his hand

D Bm C G D

And his daring life of crime, made him a legend in his time

Em7 A7sus C/D Em7/D Em7/D D

East and west of the Rio Grande

About The Ballad Of Billy The Kid Chords by Billy Joel

Learn how to play The Ballad Of Billy The Kid by Billy Joel with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Ballad Of Billy The Kid chords”, “The Ballad Of Billy The Kid guitar chords”, or “Billy Joel The Ballad Of Billy The Kid chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy The Ballad Of Billy The Kid chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Ballad Of Billy The Kid lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, E, D, C/D, Em7/D.

FAQ — The Ballad Of Billy The Kid by Billy Joel

How do I play "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" by Billy Joel on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" by Billy Joel on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" by Billy Joel free?

Yes. The chords for "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" by Billy Joel are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" by Billy Joel with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Billy Joel below.

What key is "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" in?

The chords for "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid" show the original chord names (including G, C, E, D, C/D, Em7/D). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.