Zanzibar chords by
Billy Joel (Official Version)

1978Rock368 views

Simplified

Original

Key: A minorDifficulty: Advanced

Intro 1

Aaug

C#7

F#aug

Bm9

Verse 1
Bm9 
G9 
Ali dances and the audience applauds
Bm9 
Though he's bathed in sweat
Cmaj9 
he hasn't lost his style
D 
G 
Ali don't you go downtown
D 
Bm 
You gave away another round
C#m7b5 
F#aug 
for free
Bm9 
Me, I'm just another

Verse 2
G9 
face at Zanzibar
Bm9 
But the wait  ress always serves
Cmaj9 
a secret smile
D 
G 
She's waiting out in Shantytown
F#7 
She's gonna pull
Bm 
C#m7b5 
A7 
the curtains down for me,

Chorus 1
D 
Aaug 
Dm7 
(for me) I've   got the old man's car
Gm9 
C 
I've  got a jazz guitar
Fmaj9 
Bbmaj7 
Am7 
Gm7 
I've     got a tab at Zan       zi    bar
Am7 
Bbmaj7 
Bb7#11 
E 
Tonight, that's where     I'll be
Aaug 
C#7 
F#aug 
I'll be
Bm9 
Bm9 
F#7b9 

Verse 3
Bm9 
Rose, he knows
G9 
he's such a credit to the game
Bm9 
But the Yan   kees grab the headlines
Cmaj9 
every time
D 
G 
Melodrama's so much fun
D 
Bm 
In black and white for everyone
C#m7b5 
F#aug 
to see
Bm9 
Me, I'm trying just to get

Verse 4
G9 
to second base
Bm9 
Cmaj9 
And I'd steal it if she only gave the sign
D 
G 
She's gonna give the go ahead
F#7 
Bm 
The inning isn't over yet
C#m7b5 
A7 
for me,

Chorus 2
D 
Aaug 
Dm7 
(for me) I've   got the old man's car
Gm9 
C 
I've  got a jazz guitar
Fmaj9 
Bbmaj7 
Am7 
Gm7 
I've     got a tab at Zan       zi    bar
Am7 
Bbmaj7 
Bb7#11 
E 
Tonight that's where     I'll be
Aaug 
I'll be

Interlude 1

D#/G

C/E

A/C#

F#/A#

D#/G

F#m6

C#/E#

C#m/E

B/D#

Bm/D

C#7b9

F#7b9

Solo 1

Bm9

Cmaj9

Dmaj7

F#7/A#

Bm9

C#m7b5

F#7#9

Bm9

Verse 5
Bm9 
Tell the waitress
G9 
I'll come back to Zanzibar
Bm9 
Cmaj9 
I'll be hi    ding in the darkness with my beer
D 
G 
She's waiting out in Shantytown
F#7 
Bm 
She's gonna pull the curtains down
C#m7b5 
A7 
for me,

Chorus 3
D 
Aaug 
Dm7 
(for me) I've   got the old man's car
Gm9 
C 
And I've  got a jazz guitar
Fmaj9 
Bbmaj7 
Am7 
Gm7 
I've     got a tab at Zan       zi    bar
Am7 
Bbmaj7 
Bb7#11 
E 
Tonight that's where     I'll be
Aaug 
Bm9 
Bm9 
I'll be

Outro 1

Bm9

Cmaj9

Bm9

Cmaj9

[Repeat and fade]

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsAaug C#7 F#aug Bm9 G9...

Chords

Aaug
C#7
F#aug
Bm9
G9
Cmaj9
D
G
Bm
C#m7b5
F#7
A7
Dm7
Gm9
C
Fmaj9
Bbmaj7
Am7
Gm7
Bb7#11
E
F#7b9
B
D#/G
C/E
A/C#
F#/A#
F#m6
C#/E#
C#m/E
B/D#
Bm/D
C#7b9
Dmaj7
F#7/A#
F#7#9

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

Aaug: x-0-3-2-2-x
C#7: x-4-6-4-6-x
F#aug: x-x-4-3-3-2
Bm9: x-2-0-2-2-x
G9: 3-5-3-4-3-5
Cmaj9: x-3-2-4-3-x
D: x-x-0-2-3-2
G: 3-2-0-0-0-3
Bm: x-2-4-4-3-x
C#m7b5: x-4-5-4-5-x
F#7: 2-4-2-3-2-2
A7: x-0-2-0-2-0
Dm7: x-x-0-2-1-1
Gm9: 3-5-3-3-3-5
C: x-3-2-0-1-0
Fmaj9: x-x-2-2-1-3
Bbmaj7: x-1-3-2-3-x
Am7: x-0-2-0-1-0
Gm7: 3-5-3-3-3-3
Bb7#11: x-1-0-1-1-0
E: 0-2-2-1-0-0
F#7b9: x-x-4-3-5-3
B: x-2-4-4-4-x
D#/G: x-x-5-3-4-3
C/E: 0-3-2-0-1-0
A/C#: x-4-2-2-5-x
F#/A#: 6-4-4-6-x-x
F#m6: 2-x-1-2-2-x
C#/E#: x-x-3-1-2-1
C#m/E: x-7-6-6-9-x
B/D#: x-6-4-4-7-x
Bm/D: x-x-0-4-3-2
C#7b9: x-4-3-4-3-x
Dmaj7: x-x-0-2-2-2
F#7/A#: 6-x-4-6-5-x
F#7#9: x-x-4-3-5-5

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 2

Accurately transcribed by the GuitarTuna team.

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

Minor 7ths sit between minor and major in feel. The course covers the shapes and the songs they show up in most often. Learn minor 7th 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
Billy Joel (Official Version)