You May Be Right

This article is about the 1980 song by Billy Joel. For the 2006 Australian television game show, see You May Be Right (game show).

"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.

"You May Be Right"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album Glass Houses
B-side	"Close to the Borderline"
Released	March 7, 1980
Genre	Hard rock[1] new wave[2] power pop[3] pop rock[4]
Length	4:15 (album version) 3:58 (7" version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Billy Joel
Producer(s)	Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"All for Leyna" (1980) "You May Be Right" (1980) "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" (1980)
Music video
"You May Be Right" on YouTube

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."^[1] Record World said that "Joel's rock energy blends well with his pop melodies on this smashing cut."^[5]

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

Weekly charts Chart (1980–81) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 28 Canadian Singles Chart[7] 6 Japan Oricon Singles Chart 60 New Zealand Singles Chart 23 South African Singles Chart[8] 14 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] 7 U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 48

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Rank Canada[10] 40 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 75

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12]	Platinum	1,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 15, 1980. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
2. "iTunes - Music - Glass Houses by Billy Joel". Itunes.apple.com. 10 March 1980.
3. "The Complete Works: Ranking All 121 Billy Joel Songs". 3 February 2015.
4. Evanoff, Savannah (November 18, 2019). "OFF THE RECORD: 'Glass Houses'". Northwest Florida Daily News. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
5. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 15, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 156. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
8. ""You May Be Right" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. August 30, 1980. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
9. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 435.
10. "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
11. "Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
12. "American single certifications – Billy Joel – You May Be Right". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 12, 2022.