Billy Joel - The Longest Time: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "The Longest Time" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

Chorus:
D#  A#  D# G#
Oh, oh, oh
A#                  D#
For the longest time
A#  D#  G#
Oh, oh, oh
A#
For the longest time

D#  D#/D D#/C D#/A#   G#     D#
If you said goodbye to me tonight
D#     D#/D  D#/C  D#/A#  F             A#
There would still be music left to write
G              Cm
What else could I do
A#7        D#    D#7/A#
I'm so inspired by you
G#          Fm                A#       D#
That hasn't happened for the longest time

Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time

Chorus:
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest

I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time

A#                Cm
Maybe this won't last very long
    D7
But you feel so right
    D#
And I could be wrong
Gm              Cm
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
F7
But I've gone this far
         A#  A#/G#  A#/G  A#/F
And it's more than I hoped for

Who knows how much further we'll go on?
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time

I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself, "Hold on to your heart"
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far, and it's more than
I hoped for

I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time

Chorus:
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time...


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#

Guitar chord A#

A#7

Guitar chord A#7

C

Guitar chord C

Cm

Guitar chord Cm

D

Guitar chord D

D7

Guitar chord D7

D#

Guitar chord D#

D#7

Guitar chord D#7

F

Guitar chord F

F7

Guitar chord F7

Fm

Guitar chord Fm

G

Guitar chord G

G#

Guitar chord G#

Gm

Guitar chord Gm

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "The Longest Time" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "The Longest Time" by Billy Joel.

Billy Joel Song List