In California chords by Joanna Newsom

Chords with lyrics

Intro:

A augmentedA|-8-------8-------8--------8------7-------7-------7-------7----------------------------|
E MajorE|-10------10------10-------10-----8-------8-------8-------8----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

A augmentedA|-8-------8-------8--------8------7-------7-------7-------7----------------------------|
E MajorE|-10------10------10-------10-----8-------8-------8-------8----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

 My heart became a drunken runt

A augmentedA|-8-------8-------8--------8------7-------7-------7-------7----------------------------|
E MajorE|-10------10------10-------10-----8-------8-------8-------8----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

on the day I sunk in this shunt

A augmentedA|-6-------6-------6--------6------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-6-------6-------6--------6------5-------5-------5-------5----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

to tap me clean of all the wonder and the sorrow

A augmentedA|-3-------3-------3--------3------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
E MajorE|-0-------0-------0--------0------2-------2-------2-------2----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

I have seen since I left my home

A augmentedA|-1-------1-------1--------1------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-1-------1-------1--------1------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|


My home, on the old Milk Lake,

A augmentedA|-8-------8-------8--------8------7-------7-------7-------7----------------------------|
E MajorE|-10------10------10-------10-----8-------8-------8-------8----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

where the darkness does fall so fast, it feels like some

A augmentedA|-6-------6-------6--------6------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-6-------6-------6--------6------5-------5-------5-------5----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

kind of mistake just like they told you it would

A augmentedA|-3-------3-------3--------3------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
E MajorE|-0-------0-------0--------0------2-------2-------2-------2----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

just like the Tulgeywood).

A augmentedA|-1-------1-------1--------1------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-1-------1-------1--------1------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

When I came into my land, I did not understand:

A augmentedA|---0-----------0-----------0----------0-------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---2-----------0-----------1----------0--------------------------=----------------|
C majorC|---2-----------0-----------2----------0-------------------------------------------|
G+G|---0-----------0-----------0----------0-------------------------------------------|

neither dry rot, nor the burn pile, nor the bark-beetle, nor the dry well,

A augmentedA|---0-------------------------------------0--------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---1-------------------------------------0---------------------=----------------|
C majorC|---2-------------------------------------1--------------------------------------|
G+G|---0-------------------------------------0--------------------------------------|

Eb MajorEb      G+G
nor the black bear.

      D MajorD
but there is another
        G+G
who is a little older
        B minorBm
when i broke my bone,
                G+G
he carried me up from the riverside
      D MajorD
to spend my life in spitting distance
    G+G
of the love that i have known
      B minorBm
i must stay here
        G+G
in an endless eveningtide
          D MajorD
and if you come and see me
         G+G
you'll upset the order
          B minorBm
you cannot come and see me
         G+G
for i set myself apart
           D MajorD
but when you come and see me
  G+G
in California
    B minorBm    (A augmentedA)   D MajorD
you cross the border of my heart

           D MajorD       D7D7
well, i have sown untidy furrows 'cross my soul
     G+G       G minorGm
but i am still a coward
         D MajorD       D7D7
content to see my garden grow so sweet

   G+G       G minorGm  (A augmentedA)
and full of someone else's flowers
        B minorBm         (A augmentedA) G+G
sometimes i can almost feel the power
(A augmentedA)      B minorBm        (A augmentedA)  G+G
sometimes i am so in love with you
(A augmentedA)      B minorBm              (A augmentedA)  G+G
like a little clock that trembles on the edge of the hour
(A augmentedA)   B minorBm            (A augmentedA)  G+G
only ever calling out "cuck-oo, hoo-oo, hoo-oo"

When I called you, you, little one, in a bad

A augmentedA|-8-------8-------8--------8------7-------7-------7-------7----------------------------|
E MajorE|-10------10------10-------10-----8-------8-------8-------8----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

way, did you love me? Do you spite me?

A augmentedA|-6-------6-------6--------6------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-6-------6-------6--------6------5-------5-------5-------5----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

Time will tell if I can be well,

A augmentedA|-3-------3-------3--------3------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
E MajorE|-0-------0-------0--------0------2-------2-------2-------2----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

and rise to meet you rightly.

A augmentedA|-1-------1-------1--------1------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-1-------1-------1--------1------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

While, moving across my land, brandishing themselves like a burning branch,

A augmentedA|---0-----------0-----------0----------0-------------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---2-----------0-----------1----------0--------------------------=----------------|
C majorC|---2-----------0-----------2----------0-------------------------------------------|
G+G|---0-----------0-----------0----------0-------------------------------------------|

advance the tallow-colored, walleyed deer,

A augmentedA|---0------------------------0--------------------------------------|
E MajorE|---1------------------------0---------------------=----------------|
C majorC|---2------------------------1--------------------------------------|
G+G|---0------------------------0--------------------------------------|

Eb MajorEb    G+G
quiet as gondoliers,

while, i wait all night for you in California
       B minorBm
watching the fox pick off my goldfish
          G+G
from their sorry, golden state
      D MajorD         G+G (sus4)
and i am no longer afraid of anything
     B minorBm       G+G
save the life that here awaits

         D MajorD
i don't belong to anyone
  D7D7          G+G     G minorGm
my heart is heavy as an oil drum
          D MajorD
and i don't want to be alone
   D7D7          G+G      G minorGm
my heart is yellow as an ear of corn
          D MajorD
and i have torn my soul apart
   D7D7           G+G      G minorGm
from pulling artlessly with fool commands
          B minorBm              (A augmentedA)
some nights i just never go to sleep at all
  G+G
and i stand
(A augmentedA)      B minorBm      (A augmentedA)      G+G
shaking in the doorway like a sentinel, all alone
(A augmentedA)       B minorBm      (A augmentedA)
bracing like the bow upon a ship
    G+G
and fully abandoning
(A augmentedA)      B minorBm
any thought of anywhere but home
(A augmentedA) G+G
my home
(A augmentedA)      B minorBm      (A augmentedA) G+G
sometimes i can almost feel the power
(A augmentedA) B minorBm (A augmentedA) G+G
and i do love you
(A augmentedA)    B minorBm           (A augmentedA)    G+G
is it only timing that has made it such a dark hour
(A augmentedA)    B minorBm         (A augmentedA)   G+G
only ever chiming out "cuck-oo, hoo-oo, hoo-oo"

^ for the backing harp pattern here I came up with this:

A augmentedA|-----0--------0--------0-------0---------|
E MajorE|-------2--------2--------2-------2-------|
C majorC|-1-2------1-2------1-2-----1-2-----------|
G+G|-----------------------------------------|

A augmentedA

B minorBm      (A augmentedA)      G+G       (A augmentedA)
cu-ckoo, cu-ckoo, koo, ha-a, ha-hour, ha-a, ha-a
B minorBm      (A augmentedA)      G+G       (A augmentedA)
cu-ckoo, cu-ckoo, koo, ha-a, ha-hour, ha-a, ha-a
B minorBm      (A augmentedA)      G+G       (A augmentedA)
cu-ckoo, cu-ckoo, koo, ha-a, ha-hour, ha-a, ha-a
B minorBm      (A augmentedA)      G+G       (A augmentedA)
cu-ckoo, cu-ckoo, koo, ha-a, ha-hour, ha-a, ha-a

My heart, I wear you down, I know.

A augmentedA|-8-------8-------8--------8------7-------7-------7-------7----------------------------|
E MajorE|-10------10------10-------10-----8-------8-------8-------8----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

Gotta think straight, keep a clean plate;

A augmentedA|-6-------6-------6--------6------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-6-------6-------6--------6------5-------5-------5-------5----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

keep from wearing down. If I lose my head,

A augmentedA|-3-------3-------3--------3------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
E MajorE|-0-------0-------0--------0------2-------2-------2-------2----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|

just where am I going to lay it?

A augmentedA|-1-------1-------1--------1------3-------3-------3-------3----------------------------|
E MajorE|-1-------1-------1--------1------0-------0-------0-------0----------------------------|
C majorC|-----0------0---------0------0-------0------0--------0------0-------------------------|
G+G|----0-------0--------0-------0------0-------0-------0-------0-------------------------|


  Bb majorBb     C majorC  AbAb      Bb majorBb   C majorC
for it has half who need to be hanging around
        Bb majorBb     C majorC  AbAb      Bb majorBb   C majorC
Here among the Daphne blooming out of the big ground
   Bb majorBb     C majorC  AbAb      Bb majorBb   C majorC
i'm a native too, but i'm overgrown
   Bb majorBb     C majorC  AbAb      Bb majorBb   C majorC        C majorC
i am sure my roots are near here as rich as rope
  Bb majorBb    AbAb
here down
    C majorC