
Close To The Borderline
Billy Joel
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Tom: A
A5 C
Blackout, heatwave, .44 caliber homicide
G
The bums drop dead and dogs go mad
D
In packs on the West Side
A5 C
Young girl standing on a ledge looks like another suicide
G
She wants to hit those bricks
D
Cause the news at six gotta stick to a deadline
[Pre-Chorus]
E5 F#5
While the millionaires hide in Beekman Place
D A5
The bag ladies throw their bones in my face
E5 F#5
I get attacked by a kid with stereo sound
D A5
I don't want to hear it but he won't turn it down
E5
F#7sus4
Life is tough but it's just enough
F# E5 D
To hold back the tears until it's closing time
[Chorus]
A5 D
I survived, I'm still alive
E5
But I'm getting close to the borderline
A5 D G A5 D G
Aha Close to the borderline Huh Aha
[Verse 2]
A5
A buck three eighty
C
Won't buy you much lately on the street these days
G
And when you can get gas
D
You know you can't drive fast anymore on the parkways
A5
Rich man, poor man, either way American
C
Shoved into the lost and found
G
The no nuke yell we're gonna all go to hell
D
With the next big meltdown
[Pre-Chorus]
E5 F#5
I got remote control and a color T.V
D A5
I don't change channels so they must change me
E5 F#5
I got real close friends that will get me high
D A5
They don't know how to talk and they ain't gonna try
E5
F#7sus4
I shouldn't bitch, I shouldn't cry
F# E5 D
I'd start a revolution but I don't have time
[Chorus]
A5 D
I don't know why I'm still a nice guy
E5
But I'm getting close to the borderline
A5 D G A5 D G
Aha Close to the borderline Huh Aha
[Bridge]
C#m D
I thought I'd sacrifice so many things
C#m E
I thought I'd throw them all away
C#m F#m
I didn't think I needed anything
E D E5
But you can't afford to squander what you're not prepared to pay
[Guitar Solo]
A5 C
G D (2x)
[Pre-Chorus]
E5 F#5
I need a doctor for my pressure pills
D A5
I need a lawyer for my medical bills
E5 F#5
I need a banker to finance my home
D A
I need security to back my loan
E5
F#7sus4
It isn't new what I'm going through
F# E5 D
But everybody knows you got to break sometime
[Out-Chorus 2x 2x]
A5 D
Another night I fought the good fight
E5
But I'm getting closer to the borderline
A5 D G A5 D G
Aha Close to the borderline Huh Aha
A5 D G A5 D G
Aha Close to the borderline Huh Aha
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Progression and practice
Detected progression: A5 → C → G → D → A5 → C → G → D
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