CALIFORNIA - Joni Mitchell ---------------------------- From the album 'Blue' Transcribed by Howard Wright hakwright (at) gmail (dot) com Tuning: E A C# G# B E ("Joni" Tuning: E54735) For this song, Joni plays the dulcimer and James Taylor plays the acoustic guitar. What I've done here is to write out an arrangement of Joni's dulcimer part for guitar, using an alternative tuning. This arrangement is very similar to the actual dulcimer part, but I've filled out the chords a little in some places, while sticking to the original harmony as much as possible. The dulcimer part has a little figure (written out in tablature) for the intro, and most of the rest is written out just with chord shapes. I've also written out the chords and a little tablature for the James Taylor acoustic part. This uses standard tuning, with a capo at the 2nd fret. Note that all chords and tablature for the acoustic guitar part write the fret numbers relative to the capo. (The dulcimer part arranged for guitar here doesn't need a capo.) The original acoustic part adds a few `noodles' on top of the basic chords (mostly sus4 and sus2 type of things). I've tried to include a few of these, but I havn't tried to TAB note for note what is played. All names of chord shapes are written as they sound, i.e for the acoustic part, when you play a D chord shape (xx0232) with the capo at the 2nd fret, it sounds like an E chord, so I've written the chord here as E. OK ? To play the dulcimer part, tune to : E A C# G# B E (no capo used) This means : Low E string as it is A string as it is D string down to C# G up to G# B as it is E as it is h - hammer on p - pull off / - slide INTRO : -------- Dulcimer: A B E A/B E-------------------------------------------2---------------------------0--0-- B---4h5p4-0---0--2---2-2---2---2-----0----4---4-----0---0-0---0-0-------2--2-- G#----------0----1---1-1---1-------0------3-----3---0---0-0---0-0-------1--1-- C#---------------3---3-3---3------------------------3---3-3---3-3------------- A----------------0---0-0---0------------------------------------------2-2--2-- E---------------------------------------------------0---0-0---0-0------------- VERSE 1: -------- E Sitting in a park in Paris France A E/G# F#7 Reading the news and it sure looks bad F#7 They won't give peace a chance F#m/B B7 E That was just a dream some of us had E A Still a lot of lands to see E/G# F#7 But I wouldn't want to stay here F#7 F#m/B B7 It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here CHORUS: ------- A Asus4 A Ah but California E C#7 C#7/G# C#7 California I'm coming home A I'm gonna see the folks I dig E/G# B Bsus2 I'll even kiss a sunset pig B E California I'm coming home Guitar fill: E Amaj7 E Esus4 E B/A E--0h2p0--------2---2--0----------2---3---2----------------- B--3-----3---3--3---3--3-----3----3---3---3---------3--3---- G----------2----4---4--4-----2----2---2---2---------4--4---- D----------------------------0----0---0---0---------5--5---- A------------------------------------------------0--0--0---- E---------------3---3--------------------------------------- VERSE 2: --------- E I met a redneck on a Grecian isle A F#7 Who did the goat dance very well F#7 He gave me back my smile F#m/B B7 But he kept my camera to sell E Oh the rogue, the red red rogue A He cooked good omelettes and stews F# And I might have stayed on with him there B7 But my heart cried out for you CHORUS: -------- A Asus4 A California E C#7 C#7/G# C#7 Oh California I'm coming home A Oh make me feel good rock and roll band Esus2/G# I'm your biggest fan B California I'm coming home Guitar fill: E Amaj7 E Esus4 E E--0h2p0--------2---2--0-----2----2---3---2----------- B--3-----3---3--3---3--3-----3----3---3---3----------- G----------2----4---4--4-----2----2---2---2----------- D----------------------------0----0---0---0----------- A---------------------------------------------------- E---------------3---3--------------------------------- MIDDLE 8: --------- E F# Oh it gets so lonely A When you're walking E B And the streets are full of strangers B F# E/G# A F#7 All the news of home you read just give you the blues D B Bsus4 B Bsus2 B Just give you the blues Dulcimer: A B E A/B E--------------------------------2---------------------------0--0-- B-----2---2-2---2---2-----0----4---4-----0---0-0---0-0-------2--2-- G#----1---1-1---1-------0------3-----3---0---0-0---0-0-------1--1-- C#----3---3-3---3------------------------3---3-3---3-3------------- A-----0---0-0---0------------------------------------------2-2--2-- E----------------------------------------0---0-0---0-0------------ VERSE 3: --------- (For the standard tuning acoustic, use the A,F#7 and B shapes which are higher up the neck - I've marked them below with a '*' ) E A* So I bought me a ticket I caught a plane to Spain F#7* Went to a party down a red dirt road There were lots of pretty people there B* A* E Reading Rolling Stone reading Vogue E A* They said how long can you hang around A* F#7* I said a week maybe two B* Just until my skin turns brown A* And then I'm going home CHORUS: -------- A Asus4 A To California E California C#7 C#7/G# I'm coming home C#7 A Oh will you take me as I am E/G# Strung out on another man B E California I'm coming home Guitar fill: E Amaj7 E Esus4 E E--0h2p0--------2---2--0-----2----2---3---2----------- B--3-----3---3--3---3--3-----3----3---3---3----------- G----------2----4---4--4-----2----2---2---2----------- D----------------------------0----0---0---0----------- A---------------------------------------------------- E---------------3---3--------------------------------- Middle 8: ---------- E F# Oh it gets so lonely A When you're walking E B And the streets are full of strangers F# A All the news of home you read E B More about the war and the bloody changes F# A Oh will you take me as I am E Will you take me as I am B F# Will you, will you take me as I am A E B Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm F# Take me as I am ...... Chord Shapes : -------------- Standard tuning (James Taylor acoustic guitar part) REMEMBER - these are capoed at the 2nd fret (fret numbers relative to capo position) EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE xx0232 3x0003 020100 x02020 3x0013 xx5433 E A F#7 B7 Asus4 A* EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE x21202 x02220 2x023x x02230 x02200 2x0230 C#7 B E/G# Bsus4 Bsus2 Esus2/G# EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE x32010 x02030 x0543x x0200x 2x120x xx2434 D B7sus4 A/B F#m/B C#7/G# F#7* EADGBE xx7655 B* Alternative tuning chords (Guitar version of dulcimer part) ------------------------------------------------------------ I havn't tabbed all the chords, but these are the basic ones. E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E 0 2 3 0 0 0 x x 3 3 5 4 x 0 3 1 2 0 x 0 3 5 5 5 E E A A E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E 2 4 3 2 2 2 x 2 2 1 0 2 x x 0 3 2 1 x 0 3 1 3 0 F#7 B7 C#7 Asus4 E A C# G# B E E A C# G# B E 4 x 3 0 0 0 x 2 x 1 2 0 E/G# A/B