You May Be Right
{{about|the 1980 song by Billy Joel|the 2006 Australian television game show|You May Be Right (game show)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = You May Be Right
| cover = YouMayBeRight.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Billy Joel
| album = Glass Houses
| B-side = Close to the Borderline
| released = March 7, 1980
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Hard rock|new wave{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/glass-houses/158618393 |title=iTunes - Music - Glass Houses by Billy Joel |date=10 March 1980 |publisher=iTunes}}|power pop{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/02/complete-works-121-billy-joel-songs-ranked.html|title = The Complete Works: Ranking All 121 Billy Joel Songs|date = 3 February 2015}}|pop rock{{cite news |last1=Evanoff |first1=Savannah |title=OFF THE RECORD: 'Glass Houses' |url=https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/entertainment/columns/2019/11/18/off-record-glass-houses/2244945007/ |access-date=14 May 2023 |work=Northwest Florida Daily News |date=November 18, 2019}}}}
| length = *{{Duration|m=4|s=15}} (album version)
- {{Duration|m=3|s=58}} (7" version)
| label = Columbia
| writer = Billy Joel
| producer = Phil Ramone
| prev_title = All for Leyna
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
| next_year = 1980
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Jo9t5XK0FhA|"You May Be Right"}}}}
}}
"You May Be Right" is a song written and performed by rock singer Billy Joel, released as a single and the opening track from his 1980 album Glass Houses. The single reached No. 7 on the US charts and No. 6 in Canada. It failed to chart, however, in the UK, unlike his preceding and succeeding singles "All for Leyna" (UK #40) and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" (UK #14). The Japanese single features "Close to the Borderline" as a B-side.
The song is the first track off the album and begins with the sound of broken glass, which is included to metaphorically signify the smashing of the glass house from which the album is named. "You May Be Right" is also on Billy Joel's Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II (on disc 2) and the live albums 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert, 12 Gardens Live, and Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert. A live duet with Elton John appears on the box set My Lives.
Reception
Cash Box said that the song is "witty, urbane and energetic," and that the "hard guitar" playing is "reminiscent of Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones."{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=March 15, 1980|page=18|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2022-01-01|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1980/CB-1980-03-15.pdf}} Record World said that "Joel's rock energy blends well with his pop melodies on this smashing cut."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=March 15, 1980|accessdate=2023-02-19|title=Hits of the Week|page=1|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/80/RW-1980-03-15.pdf}}
Music video
The video version differs from the album version. The most notable difference is the intro, where the sound of broken glass is replaced with "one, two, one, two, three, four".
Personnel
- Billy Joel – vocals, acoustic piano, harmonica
- Dave Brown – electric guitar
- Russell Javors – electric guitar
- Doug Stegmeyer – bass guitar
- Liberty DeVitto – drums, percussion
- Richie Cannata – saxophone solo
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1980–81)
!Peak |
|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=156}}
| style="text-align:center;"|28 |
| {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|6|chartid=4709a|access-date=November 19, 2024}} |
| Japan Oricon Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|60 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|23 |
| South African Singles Chart{{cite web | url = http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(J).html | title = "You May Be Right" on the South African Singles Chart | publisher = Springbok Radio | date = August 30, 1980 | access-date = September 25, 2010}}
| style="text-align:center;"|14 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|7|artist=Billy Joel|access-date=November 17, 2024}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|48|artist=Billy Joel|access-date=November 17, 2024}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| align="left"|Chart (1980)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |
|---|
| Canada{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0272&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |title=Top 100 Singles (1980)|publisher=RPM |access-date=2017-07-21}}
| style="text-align:center;"|40 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1980.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-10-17}}
| style="text-align:center;"|75 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|certyear=2021|title=You May Be Right|artist=Billy Joel|type=single|access-date=September 12, 2022|relyear=1978}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Billy Joel}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes songs
Category:Songs written by Billy Joel
Category:American new wave songs
Category:Columbia Records singles