Just Because

Words & Music by Joe Shelton, S. Robin, Bob Shelton
Recorded by Brenda Lee, 1959*


D9    E7  A               D9               A      E7  D9  E7
Well-now just because you think you're so pretty,

A       D9        A    Bm7-5         E7   Fdim   E7
Just because your Mama thinks you're hot (you're not!)

E7                Bm7-5            E7
Just because you think you've got something,

     D9  Bm7-5 Fdim  E7  A 
That no - body else has got.

       Edim       Bm7-5    E7
(You've got that certain nothin'!)

     A       D9       A    E7     A      E7  D9  E7
You know you made me spend all my money

      A            AM7      A7 A7/6   D9
You laughed, and called me old Santa Claus.

     D9  Bm7-5   Dm6  BbM7    A   C#m7-5       F#7 
Well I'm telling you, honey, I'm through with you,

    D9   Bm7-5 E7    A      Edim   E7
Because, just  be - cause.


 E7  A      D9        A    Bm7-5   A    D9   A  E7
Oh, just because you think I'll be lonesome,

A       D9        A    Bm7-5     E7  Fdim  E7
Just because you think I'll be blue,

E7    Bm7-5      E7   Fdim    E7
Just because you think I'd be foolish

    D9   Bm7-5    Fdim      E7       A    Edim   E7
To stay around at home and wait for you.

A          D9       E7  D9       A     D9   A  E7
Though you made me drop all my fortune,

     A           AM7       A7   C#7    D9
You laughed, and called me old Santa Claus.

     D9  Bm7-5   Dm6  BbM7    A   C#m7-5       F#7
Well I'm telling you, honey, I'm through with you,

    D9   Bm7-5 E7    A    C#m7-5  F#7
Because, just  be - cause,

   D9     E7  Bm7-5   A   D9   A
Because, just  be - cause

*I picked up a line from The McGuire Sisters' version of this one ("you've got that certain nothin'") just because I like the "attitude" it brings with it -- and the line "your Mama thinks you're hot" comes from the original Shelton Brothers lyric, as sung by Elvis Presley; the "you're not" is my own intrusion. In fact, I'll credit just about anybody else before I acknowledge that probably the biggest version of this song that ever got recorded was Frank Yankovic's polka rendition.

The lyric and guitar chord transcriptions on this site are the work of The Guitarguy and are intended for private study, research, or educational purposes only. Individual transcriptions are inspired by and and based upon the recorded versions cited, but are not necessarily exact replications of those recorded versions.