HARLEM IN HAVANA - Joni Mitchell -------------------------------- From the album "Taming The Tiger" Transcribed by Howard Wright howardw (at) jmdl (dot) com This is one of my all-time favourite Joni songs - the layers of different guitar parts are just wonderful, the rhythm is so heavy and intoxicating, and the way the song builds up in the chorus is truly awesome. I love it! I've written out the opening riff, and the chords played by the main guitar part. The way the VG8 is set up, it sounds like the bottom string of the main guitar produces the nicely strange sound used on the intro riff, and all the other strings give the clear, bright sound used for the chords. The open bottom string is played for a lot of the chords, giving that kind of unpitched, soft, metallic, clanking sound in the background. On a regular guitar you get a regular sounding low E note, but it works just as well! Tuning: ------- In Joni notation: E 55545 Note names (low to high) : EADGBE In other words ... standard tuning! (This is Joni's third song written in standard tuning). N.B If, like me, you have trouble reaching the chords at the 16th fret, you can get (almost) the same notes with these two shapes: 0 x 11 11 12 11 (instead of 0 16 16 16 16 0) 0 x 11 11 x x (instead of 0 16 16 x x x) Intro: ------ Bottom string riff: E--12--12-----12--12-----12--12--15--17--17-----12--12-----12--12-----12--12------5--5-6-7----0-- (Repeat this once) The main guitar then enters: 0 12 12 12 12 0 0 12 12 0 0 0 077770 099990 (repeat this line once) 077770 099990 077770 099990 077770 099990 x0222x 3x3000 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x Verse 1: -------- 0 12 12 12 12 0 0 12 12 0 0 0 At the far end of the midway by the double ferris wheel 077770 099990 There's a band that plays so snakey you can't help how you feel 0 12 12 12 12 0 0 12 12 0 0 0 Emmie May ran away with a man as black as night 077770 099990 You can see him, if you go there, second trumpet to the right 077770 099990 They play "Night Train" so snakey 077770 099990 Black girls dancing, long and lanky 077770 099990 Barkers barking, step right up, folks! Chorus: ------- x0222x The show is about to begin 3x3000 It's Harlem in Havana time 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x Step right in! 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x 0 16 16 16 16 0 Silver spangles, see 'em dangle in the farm boy's eyes 0 16 16 x x x 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 16 16 x x x Hoochie coochie, Auntie Ruthie would've cried If she knew we were on the inside. (No chord) x02220 x00000 (No chord) x02220 x00000 Same chords for all verses/choruses. Verse 2: -------- When Emmie May ran away She came back a bottle blonde God! The gossips had a gourmet feast Chomping on how she went wrong But miracle of miracles Cause we were underage She got us nearly front row seats To the right side of the stage See that tall girl? That's a man That one, too With a yellow feather fan Barkers barking Step right up, folks! Chorus: ------- The show is about to begin It's Harlem in Havana time Step right in! Silver spangles, see 'em dangle in the farm boy's eyes Hoochie coochie, Auntie Ruthie would've died If she knew we were on the inside.