You May Be Right

"You May Be Right"
"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; new wave; power pop; pop rock;
Length	4:15 (album version); 3:58 (7" version);
Label	Columbia
Songwriter	Billy Joel
Producer	Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
Music video
	"You May Be Right" on YouTube

"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."^[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
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[7]	6
Japan Oricon Singles Chart	60
New Zealand Singles Chart	23
South African Singles Chart^[8]	14
UK Airplay (Record Business)^[9]	64
US Billboard Hot 100^[10]	7
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[11]	48

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
Canada^[12]	40
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[13]	75

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[14]	Gold	15,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[15]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

^ ^a ^b "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 15, 1980. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
^ "iTunes - Music - Glass Houses by Billy Joel". iTunes. 10 March 1980.
^ "The Complete Works: Ranking All 121 Billy Joel Songs". 3 February 2015.
^ Evanoff, Savannah (November 18, 2019). "OFF THE RECORD: 'Glass Houses'". Northwest Florida Daily News. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 15, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
^ 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.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4709a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
^ ""You May Be Right" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. August 30, 1980. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
^ "Top 75 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Record Business. 16 June 1980. p. 15. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
^ "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
^ "New Zealand single certifications – Billy Joel – You May Be Right". Radioscope. Retrieved July 18, 2025. Type You May Be Right in the "Search:" field.
^ "American single certifications – Billy Joel – You May Be Right". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 12, 2022.

[cb-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. 10 March 1980.

[3] "The Complete Works: Ranking All 121 Billy Joel Songs". 3 February 2015.

[evanoff-4] Evanoff, Savannah (November 18, 2019). "OFF THE RECORD: 'Glass Houses'". Northwest Florida Daily News. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[rw-5] "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 15, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-19.

[aus-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.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-7] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4709a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 19, 2024.

[ymbrsouthafrica-8] ""You May Be Right" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. August 30, 1980. Retrieved September 25, 2010.

[9] "Top 75 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Record Business. 16 June 1980. p. 15. Retrieved 27 April 2024.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Billy_Joel-10] "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2024.

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Billy_Joel-11] "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2024.

[12] "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Retrieved 2017-07-21.

[13] "Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-17.

[New_ZealandBilly_JoelYou_May_Be_RightsingleCertRef-14] "New Zealand single certifications – Billy Joel – You May Be Right". Radioscope. Retrieved July 18, 2025. Type You May Be Right in the "Search:" field.

[United_StatesBilly_JoelYou_May_Be_RightsingleCertRef-15] "American single certifications – Billy Joel – You May Be Right". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 12, 2022.

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v t e Billy Joel
Studio albums	Cold Spring Harbor Piano Man Streetlife Serenade Turnstiles The Stranger 52nd Street Glass Houses The Nylon Curtain An Innocent Man The Bridge Storm Front River of Dreams Fantasies & Delusions
Live albums	Songs in the Attic Kontsert 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert 12 Gardens Live Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert
Compilations	Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II Souvenir: The Ultimate Collection Greatest Hits Volume III The Complete Hits Collection: 1973–1997 The Ultimate Collection The Essential Billy Joel Piano Man: The Very Best of Billy Joel My Lives The Hits Billy Joel: Opus Collection
Singles	"She's Got a Way" / "Everybody Loves You Now" "Piano Man" / "You're My Home" "Worse Comes to Worst" "Travelin' Prayer" "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" "The Entertainer" "James" "I've Loved These Days" / "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" "Just the Way You Are" / "Vienna" "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" "Only the Good Die Young" "She's Always a Woman" "The Stranger" "My Life" "Big Shot" "Honesty" "Until the Night" "All for Leyna" "You May Be Right" "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" "Don't Ask Me Why" "Sometimes a Fantasy" "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" (Live) "She's Got a Way" (Live) "Pressure" "Allentown" "Goodnight Saigon" "Tell Her About It" "Uptown Girl" "An Innocent Man" "The Longest Time" "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" "This Night" "Keeping the Faith" "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" "The Night Is Still Young" "Modern Woman" / "Sleeping with the Television On" "A Matter of Trust" "This Is the Time" "Baby Grand" "Back in the U.S.S.R." (Live) "We Didn't Start the Fire" References "Leningrad" "I Go to Extremes" "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" "That's Not Her Style" "And So It Goes" "Shameless" "All Shook Up" "The River of Dreams" "No Man's Land" "All About Soul" "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" "To Make You Feel My Love" "All My Life" "Christmas in Fallujah" "Turn the Lights Back On"
Other songs	"Captain Jack" "Tomorrow Is Today" "Los Angelenos" "Root Beer Rag" "New York State of Mind" "Prelude/Angry Young Man" "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" "Zanzibar" "Laura" "Scandinavian Skies" "Big Man on Mulberry Street"
Tours	The Nylon Curtain Tour An Innocent Man Tour The Bridge Tour Storm Front Tour River of Dreams Tour Face to Face Tours 1994 1995 1998 2001 2002 2003 2009 2010 Billy Joel in Concert
See also	Discography Billy Joel band members Movin' Out The Last Play at Shea The Hassles Attila Alexa Ray Joel Christie Brinkley Oliver & Company soundtrack Katie Lee "Movin' Out" (Glee episode) Billy Joel: And So It Goes
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