Zanzibar chords by
Billy Joel (Official Version)

1978Rock368 views

Simplified

Original

Key: A minorDifficulty: Advanced

Intro 1

Abaug

Faug

Bbm9

Verse 1
Bbm9 
Gb9 
Ali dances and the audience applauds
Bbm9 
Though he's bathed in sweat
Bmaj9 
he hasn't lost his style
Db 
Gb 
Ali don't you go  downtown
Db 
Bbm 
You gave away another round
Cm7b5 
Faug 
for free
Bbm9 
Me, I'm just another

Verse 2
Gb9 
face  at Zanzibar
Bbm9 
But the wait   ress always serves
Bmaj9 
a secret smile
Db 
Gb 
She's waiting out in Shantytown
F7 
She's gonna pull
Bbm 
Cm7b5 
Ab7 
the curtains down for me,

Chorus 1
C# 
G#aug 
C#m7 
(for me) I've     got the old man's car
F#m9 
B 
I've   got a jazz guitar
Emaj9 
Amaj7 
G#m7 
F#m7 
I've     got a tab at Zan      zi     bar
G#m7 
Amaj7 
A7#11 
D# 
Tonight, that's where    I'll be
Abaug 
C7 
Faug 
I'll be
Bbm9 
Bbm9 
F7b9 

Verse 3
Bbm9 
Rose, he knows
Gb9 
he's such a credit to the game
Bbm9 
But the Yan    kees grab the headlines
Bmaj9 
every time
Db 
Gb 
Melodrama's so  much fun
Db 
Bbm 
In black and white for everyone
Cm7b5 
Faug 
to see
Bbm9 
Me, I'm trying just to get

Verse 4
Gb9 
to second base
Bbm9 
Bmaj9 
And I'd steal  it if she only gave the sign
Db 
Gb 
She's gonna give the go  ahead
F7 
Bbm 
The inning isn't over  yet
Cm7b5 
Ab7 
for me,

Chorus 2
C# 
G#aug 
C#m7 
(for me) I've     got the old man's car
F#m9 
B 
I've   got a jazz guitar
Emaj9 
Amaj7 
G#m7 
F#m7 
I've     got a tab at Zan      zi     bar
G#m7 
Amaj7 
A7#11 
D# 
Tonight  that's where    I'll be
G#aug 
I'll be

Interlude 1

D/Gb

B/Eb

Ab/C

F/A

D/Gb

Fm6

C/E

Cm/Eb

Bb/D

Bbm/Db

C7b9

F7b9

Solo 1

Bbm9

Gb9

Bbm9

Bmaj9

Dbmaj7

F7/A

Bbm9

Cm7b5

F7#9

Bbm9

Verse 5
Bbm9 
Tell the waitress
Gb9 
I'll come back  to Zanzibar
Bbm9 
Bmaj9 
I'll be hi     ding in the darkness with my beer
Db 
Gb 
She's waiting out in Shantytown
F7 
Bbm 
She's gonna pull the curtains down
Cm7b5 
Ab7 
for me,

Chorus 3
C# 
G#aug 
C#m7 
(for me) I've     got the old man's car
F#m9 
B 
And I've   got a jazz guitar
Emaj9 
Amaj7 
G#m7 
F#m7 
I've     got a tab at Zan      zi     bar
G#m7 
Amaj7 
A7#11 
D# 
Tonight  that's where    I'll be
G#aug 
Bbm9 
Bbm9 
I'll be

Outro 1

Bbm9

Gb9

Bbm9

Bmaj9

Bbm9

Gb9

Bbm9

Bmaj9

[Repeat and fade]

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsAbaug C7 Faug Bbm9 Gb9...

Chords

Abaug
C7
Faug
Bbm9
Gb9
Bmaj9
Db
Gb
Bbm
Cm7b5
F7
Ab7
C#
G#aug
C#m7
F#m9
B
Emaj9
Amaj7
G#m7
F#m7
A7#11
D#
F7b9
Bb
D/Gb
B/Eb
Ab/C
F/A
Fm6
C/E
Cm/Eb
Bb/D
Bbm/Db
C7b9
Dbmaj7
F7/A
F7#9

Finger positions, low to high (E A D G B e). 0 is open, x is muted.

Abaug: x-x-6-5-5-4
C7: x-3-2-3-1-x
Faug: x-x-3-2-2-1
Bbm9: 6-8-6-6-6-8
Gb9: 2-4-2-3-2-4
Bmaj9: x-2-1-3-2-x
Db: x-4-6-6-6-x
Gb: 2-4-4-3-2-2
Bbm: x-1-3-3-2-x
Cm7b5: x-3-4-3-4-x
F7: 1-3-1-2-1-1
Ab7: 4-6-4-5-4-4
C#: x-4-6-6-6-x
G#aug: x-x-6-5-5-4
C#m7: x-4-6-4-5-x
F#m9: 2-4-2-2-2-4
B: x-2-4-4-4-x
Emaj9: x-7-6-8-7-x
Amaj7: x-0-2-1-2-0
G#m7: 4-6-4-4-4-4
F#m7: 2-4-2-2-2-2
A7#11: 5-x-5-6-4-x
D#: x-6-8-8-8-x
F7b9: x-x-3-2-4-2
Bb: x-1-3-3-3-x
D/Gb: 2-x-0-2-3-x
B/Eb: x-6-4-4-7-x
Ab/C: 8-6-6-8-x-x
F/A: x-0-3-2-1-x
Fm6: x-x-3-1-3-1
C/E: 0-3-2-0-1-0
Cm/Eb: x-6-5-5-8-x
Bb/D: x-5-3-3-6-x
Bbm/Db: x-4-3-3-6-x
C7b9: x-3-2-3-2-x
Dbmaj7: x-4-6-5-6-x
F7/A: 5-x-3-5-4-x
F7#9: x-x-3-2-4-4

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 1

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

F is one of the chords beginners ask about the most. A short walkthrough on how to fret it cleanly and switch in and out of it. Learn the F chord

Barre chords ask a lot of the fretting hand. The barre course walks through hand position, pressure, and the cleanest way to land each shape. Practice barre chords

This is the definitive original version of Zanzibar by Billy Joel, transcribed exactly as it was recorded in the studio. Unlike our simplified arrangement, this chart preserves the precise chord voicings and progressions in the original key of A minor. It is designed for experienced players looking to reproduce the full sonic intent and artistic expression of Billy Joel.

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Zanzibar chords by
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