If You Can’t Beat Them Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Keep your chin up
When you're feeling lonely
Don't let 'em get you down
Ain't no use in your sitting
All alone, hanging around
For someone to call, oo-oo-ooh
They won't come knocking at all
Don't run and hide
Even if it hurts you inside
So I said, "give as good as you get"
Yeah!
[Chorus]
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You're never gonna help yourself
Yeah
[Post-Chorus]
Come on, go
Get up!
Hey-hey!
It sure feels good
Keep your chin up
When you're feeling lonely
Don't let 'em get you down
Ain't no use in your sitting
All alone, hanging around
For someone to call, oo-oo-ooh
They won't come knocking at all
Don't run and hide
Even if it hurts you inside
So I said, "give as good as you get"
Yeah!
[Chorus]
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You're never gonna help yourself
Yeah
[Post-Chorus]
Come on, go
Get up!
Hey-hey!
It sure feels good
[Verse 2]
Keep your big hands off of my money
Don't try and pull me down
You're taking me out to wine
And dine me, trying to wind
Me 'round and around and bind me
To your legal contract (Ha ha!)
Rumour has it that you can play it dirty
I'll tell you what I'll do
About that, that yeah!
I'll play you at your own game!
Yes
[Chorus]
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You're never gonna help yourself
Yeah
That's good
Play it again!
[Guitar Solo]
Keep your big hands off of my money
Don't try and pull me down
You're taking me out to wine
And dine me, trying to wind
Me 'round and around and bind me
To your legal contract (Ha ha!)
Rumour has it that you can play it dirty
I'll tell you what I'll do
About that, that yeah!
I'll play you at your own game!
Yes
[Chorus]
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
You're never gonna help yourself
Yeah
That's good
Play it again!
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
Oh, you'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
It's everyone for themselves!
[Outro]
Move on out!
Hey!
Oh, I like it!
Rock 'n' Roll ready! Yeah
Woo-hoo!
[Solo]
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
Oh, you'd better do it
'Cause it makes you feel good
(If you can't beat 'em, join 'em)
It's everyone for themselves!
[Outro]
Move on out!
Hey!
Oh, I like it!
Rock 'n' Roll ready! Yeah
Woo-hoo!
[Solo]
About
Genius Annotation
“If You Can’t Beat Them” is the fifth track on Queen’s seventh studio album, Jazz, composed by bassist John Deacon. It goes in more of a hard rock direction than the rest of Jazz, and was a live favorite of the band in the late 70s.
It contains a guitar solo of over two minutes, making it one of the longest guitar solos in a Queen song.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 5.Liar
- 9.Jesus
- 11.Procession
- 12.Father to Son
- 14.Some Day One Day
- 16.Ogre Battle
- 18.Nevermore
- 22.Brighton Rock
- 23.Killer Queen
- 24.Tenement Funster
- 27.Now I’m Here
- 29.Stone Cold Crazy
- 30.Dear Friends
- 31.Misfire
- 39.’39
- 40.Sweet Lady
- 43.Love of My Life
- 44.Good Company
- 49.Long Away
- 51.You and I
- 52.Somebody to Love
- 53.White Man
- 55.Drowse
- 57.We Will Rock You
- 65.Who Needs You
- 66.It’s Late
- 68.Mustapha
- 70.Jealousy
- 71.Bicycle Race
- 72.If You Can’t Beat Them
- 74.Dead on Time
- 76.Dreamer’s Ball
- 77.Fun It
- 81.Play the Game
- 82.Dragon Attack
- 89.Coming Soon
- 90.Save Me
- 91.Flash’s Theme
- 95.Football Fight
- 101.Flash to the Rescue
- 103.Battle Theme
- 104.The Wedding March
- 108.The Hero
- 109.Staying Power
- 110.Dancer
- 111.Back Chat
- 112.Body Language
- 113.Action This Day
- 114.Put Out the Fire
- 116.Calling All Girls
- 118.Cool Cat
- 119.Under Pressure
- 120.Radio Ga Ga
- 121.Tear It Up
- 122.It’s a Hard Life
- 123.Man on the Prowl
- 125.I Want to Break Free
- 127.Hammer to Fall
- 129.One Vision
- 130.A Kind of Magic
- 131.One Year of Love
- 136.Don’t Lose Your Head
- 138.Party
- 139.Khashoggi’s Ship
- 140.The Miracle
- 141.I Want It All
- 142.The Invisible Man
- 143.Breakthru
- 144.Rain Must Fall
- 145.Scandal
- 146.My Baby Does Me
- 147.Was It All Worth It
- 148.Innuendo
- 150.Headlong
- 152.Don’t Try So Hard
- 153.Ride the Wild Wind
- 154.All God’s People
- 156.Delilah
- 157.The Hitman
- 158.Bijou
- 159.The Show Must Go On
- 160.It’s a Beautiful Day
- 161.Made in Heaven
- 162.Let Me Live
- 163.Mother Love
- 166.Heaven for Everyone
- 168.You Don’t Fool Me
- 169.A Winter’s Tale
- 171.Untitled
Credits
Producers
Writer
Background Vocals
Bass Guitar
Engineer
Electric Guitar
Lead Vocals
Drums
Recorded At
Super Bear Studios, Berre-les-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Released on
November 10, 1978
Songs That Sample If You Can’t Beat Them
Tags
Comments
Sign Up And Drop Knowledge 🤓
Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love.