There's No Business Like Show Business chords by Ethel Merman

• Difficulty: Intermediate 💪

Verse 1:
    G             F#           F            E
The costumes, the scenery, the make-up, the props,
    Am7           D7                     G
The audience that lifts you when you're down
    A              Ab              G              F#
The headaches, the heartaches, the backaches, the flops,
    A              D                G
The sheriff who escorts you out of town.
     B                E                   F#
The opening when your heart beats like a drum
     G               C               D
The closing when the customers won't come.

Chorus 1:
        G                Gmaj13              G6            G
There’s no business like show business, like no business I know,
D                        G        D                              G
Everything about it is appealing, everything that traffic will allow,
D                                 Em
Nowhere could you have that happy feeling
             E                   Am  D
When you are stealing that extra bow.
        G              Gmaj13            G7                   C
There’s no people like show people, they smile when they are low,
Am          D               B7        E7
Even with a turkey that you know will fold
    Am     D            G       E
You may be stranded out in the cold,
Am                 D               Bm      E7
Still you wouldn’t change it for a sack of gold
      Am D           G
Let’s go on with the show.

Verse 2:
    G            F#         F           E
The butcher, the baker, the grocer, the clerk
    Am7        D7          G
Are secretly unhappy men because,
    A            Ab         G           F#
The butcher, the baker, the grocer, the clerk
    A                  D             G
Get paid for what they do, but no applause.
       B                E               F#       G           C           D
They’d gladly bid their dreary jobs goodbye, for anything theatrical and why?

Chorus 2:
        G                Gmaj13             G6               G
There’s no business like show business, and you tell me it’s so,
D                                   G
Traveling through the country is so thrilling
D                                 G
Standing out in front on opening nights,
D                                Em
Smiling as you watch the theatre filling,
                 A                    Am     D
And there’s your billing out there in lights.
        G              Gmaj13            G7                   C
There’s no people like show people, they smile when they are low,
Am               D               B7      E7
Angels come from everywhere with lots of jack
    Am        D               G    E
And when you lose it, there’s no attack,
Am                  D              Bm         E7
Where could you get money that you don’t give back?
      Am D           G
Let’s go on with the show !

Chorus 3:
        G                Gmaj13              G6            G
There’s no business like show business, like no business I know,
D                                G
You get word before the show has started
D                                 G
That your favourite uncle died at dawn,
D                                 Em
Top of that, your pa and ma Versed,
               A                  Am  D
You’re broken-hearted, but you go on
        G              Gmaj13            G7                   C
There’s no people like show people, they smile when they are low,
Am             D                   B7     E7
Yesterday they told you, you would not go far,
      Am       D         G        E
That night you open And there you are
Am               D                     Bm     E7
Next day on your dressing room they’ve hung a star
      Am D           B7
Let’s go on with the show!
      Am D           G
Let’s go on with the show!