THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT - Joni Mitchell ----------------------------------------------- From the album 'Blue' Transcribed by Howard Wright hakwright (at) gmail (dot) com Tuning: ------- Note names (low to high) : Ab Ab Eb Ab C Eb Joni notation : Ab 12 7 5 4 3 The tuning for this song is similar to a variation of open G ( DGDGBD ) that has the bottom string tuned right down to a very low G. The actual key for this song is Ab though, one semitone above G, so the tuning you need is Ab Ab Eb Ab C Eb. Joni's tuning notation makes things easier to get to the right tuning (an explanation of Joni's tuning notation is also available from this site). The idea is to tune one string by fretting a note on the string below - the numbers in the notation tell you what frets to use. In this case, with the very low pitch for the bottom string, it's probably better to tune the 5th string to Ab, then play this string at the 7th fret to tune the Eb string, then play this at the 5th fret to tune the next string ... and so on. At the end, you can tune the bottom Ab to the other Ab strings. Alternatively, to get to the correct tuning from standard tuning, try this: * Tune the A string down to a G (compare with the G string) * Tune the top E to a D (compare with the D string) * Tune the low E all the way down to G - check with what used to be the A string, but is now a G. This gives you the open G tuning with the low G at the bottom. If you put a capo on at the first fret, you're then in the tuning for "This Flight Tonight". I've written out the chord shapes at the end - you might find it easier or quicker to learn the song from these if you know the song pretty well already. If you're not so sure about strumming etc, I've tried to give the outline in the TAB. Note - words are written below the TAB, chords above. INTRO : -------- Absus4 Abm11 Eb-----------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3-- C------------3--3-3--------3-3-------------1--1-1--------1-1-- Ab-----------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3-- Eb---0--0----0-------------0-0---0-0-0-0---0-------------0-0-- Ab---0--0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0--0-0-- Ab---0--0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0--0-0-- Absus4 Abm11 Eb-------------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3- C--------------3--3-3--------3-3-------------1--1-1--------1-1- Ab-------------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3- Eb--0-0-0-0----0-------------0-0---0-0-0-0---0-------------0-0- Ab--0-0-0-0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0------ Ab--0-0-0-0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0------ VERSE : ------- Absus4 Abm11 Eb--5----------5----------3-------3------------------------- C---3----------3----------1-------1------------------------- Ab--5----------5----------3-------3------------------------- Eb--0----------0----------0-------0------------------------- Ab--0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0------------------------- Ab--0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0------------------------- Look out the left the captain said Ab5 Ab7sus4 Eb---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0-------------------- C----3-3---3---3------------1-1---1--1--1-------------------- Ab---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0-------------------- Eb---5-5---5---5------------3-3---3--3--3-------------------- Ab---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0-------------------- Ab---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0-------------------- The lights down there, that's where we'll land Ab Db Ab Db Eb--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5---------------------- C---0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5---------------------- Ab--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5---------------------- Eb--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5---------------------- Ab--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5---------------------- Ab--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5---------------------- I saw a fallin' star burn up Ab Db Ab Db Ab Db/Ab Ab Eb---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0---- C----0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-1---1---0----0-0-1-0-1---- Ab---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0---- Eb---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-2---2---0----0-0-2-0-2---- Ab---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0---- Ab---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0---- 'bove the Las Vegas sand Ab Db/Ab Ab Eb--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0--------------- C---0--0-0---1---1---1----0-0-------------- Ab--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0--------------- Eb--0--0-0---2---2---2----0-0--------------- Ab--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0---------------- Ab--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0--------------- Absus4 Abm11 Eb----5----------5----------3-------3------------------------ C-----3----------3----------1-------1------------------------ Ab----5----------5----------3-------3------------------------ Eb----0----------0----------0-------0------------------------ Ab----0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0------------------------ Ab----0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0------------------------ It wasn't the one that you gave to me Ab5 Ab7sus4 Eb---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0--------------------- C----3-3---3---3------------1-1---1--1--1--------------------- Ab---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0--------------------- Eb---5-5---5---5------------3-3---3--3--3--------------------- Ab---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0--------------------- Ab---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0--------------------- That night down south between the trailers Ab Db Ab Db Eb--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5-------------------- C---0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5-------------------- Ab--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5-------------------- Eb--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5-------------------- Ab--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5-------------------- Ab--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5-------------------- Not the early one that you can wish upon Ab Db Ab Db Ab Db/Ab Ab Eb---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-- C----0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-1---1---0----0-0-- Ab---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-- Eb---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-2---2---0----0-0-- Ab---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-- Ab---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-- Not the northern one that guides in the sailors CHORUS : -------- Abmaj7 Ab6sus2sus4 Ab Db/Ab Eb----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2-----0-----0--0--0-------------- C-----/3---3--3---------1-1-1-1-----0h1---1--1--1-------------- Ab----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2-----0-----0--0--0-------------- Eb----0----0--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-----0h2---2--2--2-------------- Ab---------------0-0-0--------------0-----0--0--0-------------- Ab---------------0-0-0--------------0--------0--0-------------- Oh starlight star bright you got the loving Db/Ab Ab Eb----0---0------0--------------------------------------------- C-----1---1------0--------------------------------------------- Ab----0---0------0--------------------------------------------- Eb----2---2------0--------------------------------------------- Ab----0---0------0--------------------------------------------- Ab----0---0------0--------------------------------------------- that I like alright Abmaj7 Ab6sus2sus4 Ab Db/Ab Eb----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2--------0-----0--0--0-------- C-----/3---3--3---------1-1-1-1--------0h1---1--1--1-------- Ab----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2--------0-----0--0--0-------- Eb----0----0--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--------0h2---2--2--2-------- Ab---------------0-0-0-----------------0-----0--0--0-------- Ab---------------0-0-0-----------------0--------0--0-------- Turn this crazy bird around I shouldn't Db/Ab Ab Db/Ab Eb---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0----------------------- C----1--1------0--0--0---0-----0-1---1----------------------- Ab---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0----------------------- Eb---2--2------0--0--0---0-----0-2---2----------------------- Ab---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0----------------------- Ab---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0----------------------- have got on this flight tonight Ab* Ab6/9 Ab Db/Ab Ab Eb--0---0--0--0-----0---0---0--0----0-0--0--0-------------- C---/3--3--3--3-----1---0---1--1----1-1--0--0-------------- Ab--/4--4--4--4-----2---0---0--0----0-0--0--0-------------- Eb--0---0--0--0-----0---0---2--2----2-2--0--0-------------- Ab--0-------------------0---0--0----0-0--0--0-------------- Ab--0-------------------0---0--0----0-0--0--0-------------- Ab Db/Ab Ab* Ab6/9 Ab Db/Ab Ab Eb--0--0--0--0--0-0----0---0--0--0-----0---0---0----0--------- C---0--0--0--1--1-1----/3--3--3--3-----1---0---1----0--------- Ab--0--0--0--0--0-0----/4--4--4--4-----2---0---0----0--------- Eb--0--0--0--2--2-2----0---0--0--0-----0---0---2----0--------- Ab--0--0--0--0--0-0----0-------------------0---0----0--------- Ab--0--0--0--0--0-0----0-------------------0---0----0--------- Verse 2: -------- You got the touch so gentle and sweet But you've got that look so critical Now I can't talk to you baby I get so weak Sometimes I think love is just mythical Up there's a heaven Down there's a town Blackness everywhere and little lights shine Blackness, blackness dragging me down Come on light the candle in this poor heart of mine Chorus Verse 3: --------- I'm drinking sweet champagne Got the headphones up high Can't numb you out can't drum you out of my mind They're playing "Goodbye baby, baby goodbye, Ooh love is blind" Up go the flaps Down go the wheels I hope you got your heat turned on baby I hope they finally fixed your automobile Hope it's better when we meet again baby Chorus Chord Shapes : -------------- Absus4 Abm11 Ab5 Ab7sus4 Ab Db Eb----5--------3----------0---------0------------0---------5---- C-----3--------1----------3---------1------------0---------5---- Ab----5--------3----------0---------0------------0---------5---- Eb----0--------0----------5---------3------------0---------5---- Ab----0--------0----------0---------0------------0---------5---- Ab----0--------0----------0---------0------------0---------5---- Db/Ab Abmaj7 Ab6sus2sus4 Ab* Ab6/9 Eb----0----------4----------2-----------0--------0------------- C-----1----------3----------1-----------3--------1------------- Ab----0----------4----------2-----------4--------2------------- Eb----2----------0----------0-----------0--------0------------- Ab----0----------0----------0-----------0--------0------------- Ab----0----------0----------0-----------0--------0-------------