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California Dreamin' - Mamas and Papas

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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
Topic starter  

Here's a real oldie from the 60's (around '66 I think....) which for those of us who remember it will bring back memories - for younger viewers, well, go blag a copy off your mum and dad (or grandma and grandad, even!) because you'll never, ever hear more beautifully meshed vocal harmonies with the possible exception of the Beach Boys.

A friend (a non-musician) hunted this tab down for me - there's a chord in there (E11b9) that I've never seen or heard before which has been the subject of some discussion in music theory....thanks to Noteboat and Fretsource for sorting that one out! I've spent a couple of days messing about with this, and unlike most songs which you tab out then grow to hate, I now love this more than ever!

You'll notice that sometimes the lead vocals and harmony vocals overlap - when this occurs, the harmony vocal is written underneath the lead vocal. Chord changes are always directly above where they occur in EITHER vocal line.

So OK, this is a fairly challenging song - most of the changes are fairly easy though, except for one in particular which I'll deal with in the song itself.

These are the chords you'll need.....
Am E7s4 G F E C E11b9 E7 Fmaj7
E |-0---0---3-1-0-0---0---0---0----|
B |-1---0---0-1-0-1---3---0---1----|
G |-2---2---0-2-1-0---2---1---2----|
D |-2---0---0-3-2-2---3---0---3----|
A |-0---2---2-3-2-3---2---2---3----|
E |-x---0---3-1-0-x---0---0---1----|

EDIT - I should have mentioned, if you want to play this in the same key as the original M & P recording, you'll need to capo at the fourth fret!!!

California Dreamin' - The Mamas and Papas.

Intro....(oh yeah - it's in 4/4 time!)

Three bars of Am, then one bar of E7sus4 (0 2 0 2 0 0)

1st Verse......
E7sus4 Am G F
All the leaves are brown
(all the leaves are brown)

G E7sus4 E
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)

F C E Am
I've been for a walk
(I've been for a walk)

F E11b9 E
On a winter's day (on a winter's day,

Am G F
I'd be safe and warm
(I'd be safe and warm)

G E7sus4 E
If I was in LA (if I was in LA)

Am G F
California dreaming
(California dreaming)

G E7sus4
On such a winter's day..........

There's a really tricky change in there - from F to E11b9 - the way I'm doing it is;

From the F chord, go to an E7sus4 chord...0 2 0 2 0 0....with your index and middle fingers, then
throw your ring finger on the D string at the 3rd fret and your pinky on the Bstring at the 3rd fret as
soon as possible - if you can get the E11b9 on for the second half of the bar, it'll sound OK!

2nd verse.......
E7sus4 Am G
Stopped into a church,

F G E7sus4 E
I passed along the way

F C E Am
Well I got down on my knees
(got down on my knees)
F E11b9 E
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)

Am G F
You know the preacher likes the cold
(preacher likes the cold)

G E7sus4 E
He knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay)

Am G F
California dreaming
(California dreaming)

G E7sus4
On such a winter's day..........

OK, here there's a flute (I think!) solo - these are the backing chords.
Remember there are 4 beats to the bar, so each chord is a full bar, unless
denoted Am/G, which means 2 beats of Am then 2 beats of G - there are NO
"slash" chords!

Am Am Am Am/F
C/E Am/F E7sus4 E7
Am/G F/G E7sus4 E7
Am/G F/G E7sus4 E7

Third verse......
Third verse......

E7sus4 Am G F
All the leaves are brown
(all the leaves are brown)

G E7sus4 E
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)

F C E Am
I've been for a walk
(I've been for a walk)

F E11b9 E
On a winter's day (on a winter's day,

Am G F
If I didn't tell her
(If I didn't tell her)

G E7sus4 E
I could leave today (I could leave today)

Am G F
California dreaming
(California dreaming)

G Am G F
On such a winter's day
(California dreaming)

G Am G F
On such a winter's day
(California dreaming)

G Fmaj7 Fmaj7 Am
On such a winter's da------------------ay.

And that's it - nothing incredibly taxing, apart from that F to E11b9 change.....

As always, any questions, fire away.....

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@dave_s)
New Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 1
 

Great Job Vic

ONe of my favorite campfire songs


   
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(@sunnydunes)
Eminent Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 19
 

Great chords, certainly the best I can find! Being a beginner, I play the F chord as a beginners-F (xx3211). This way, it turned out, two out of the four fingers you need for the E11b9 (023230) are already in place. Maybe a tip for peope who have troube with the chord change?


   
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(@steves)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 212
 

Hook your thumb over the low E string at the first fret and you'll go from playing a beginner's F to a Hendrix F!

Steve


   
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(@singingonline123)
Eminent Member
Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 16
 

I think you're tutorial about the song will become easier if there's a little music on it. :D


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
Topic starter  

I think you're tutorial about the song will become easier if there's a little music on it. :D

Not the way I butcher it!

That's what youtube's for - hey, I've tabbed the song out as best as I can in the easiest key I can find - even told you what fret to use a capo on (or you can transpose it yourself if you're feeling adventurous - you'd end up playing in the key of B, I think, and your chords would be C#m, G#7sus4, B, A, C# etc......and as for that E11(b9) I wouldn't even know where to begin to transpose that to....without a capo.....

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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