Joni Mitchell - SONG TO A SEAGULL guitar tab
Song To A Seagull - Joni Mitchell
-----------------------------------------
From Joni's first album
(either called 'Joni Mitchell' or 'Song
To A Seagull', depending on your sources!)
Transcribed by Howard Wright
Howard@jmdl.com
Tuning (low to High) : C G C G C C
In Joni notation: C 75750
INTRO:
--------
C5 C7sus4
C-------------------12----------------10----10--------
C---------------0---------0-----------0---------------
G------------12--------12-------------10-------------- (REPEAT ONCE)
C-----------------0---------0---------0---------------
G-----------------------------------------------------
C------0-----------------------0----------------------
Once the singing has started, the picking pattern shown above for the
(0 0 0 12 0 12) chord shape is also used for the second shape at the
10th fret. Use the same picking pattern for most of the song, with a
few simple strums mixed in. Where the chord shapes have fretted notes
on the 2nd and 4th strings (instead of the 1st/3rd strings as above)
just shift the whole pattern down one string.
All chord shapes are given at the end. The shapes are easy, but getting the
fingerpicking to work takes a bit of practice (it's worth the effort though!).
One extra detail : on the G7sus4 shape that comes half way through Verse 1, you
can hammer on to the note on the 2nd string.
Verse 1:
---------
C5 C7sus4 C5 C7sus4
Fly silly seabird no dreams can possess you
C5 C7sus4 G7sus4
No voices can blame you for sun on your wings
C Csus4 C Csus4
My gentle relations have names they must call me
C Csus4 C7sus4 C5 C6/9
For loving the freedom of all flying things
C5 C7sus4 Cm(add#5) Csus2
My dreams with the seagulls fly out of reach out of cry
Verse 2:
---------
C* Csus4-9 Cm Csus4-9
I came to the city and lived like old Crusoe
C* Csus4-9 Cm Csus4-9
On an island of noise in a cobblestone sea
C* Csus4-9 Cm Csus4-9
And the beaches were concrete and the stars paid a light bill
C* Csus4-9 Cm C7sus4 C5 C6/9
And the blossoms hung false on their store window trees
C5 C7sus4 Cm(add#5) Csus2
My dreams with the seagulls fly out of reach out of cry
Verses 3 and 4 follow the same chord changes as for Verse 1.
Chord Shapes:
--------------
C G C G C C C G C G C C C G C G C C
0 0 0 12 0 12 0 0 0 10 0 10 x 0 5 0 5 0
C5 C7sus4 G7sus4
C G C G C C C G C G C C C G C G C C
0 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 14 0 14
C Csus4 C6/9
C G C G C C C G C G C C
0 0 0 8 0 8 0 0 0 7 0 7
Cm(add#5) Csus2
C G C G C C C G C G C C C G C G C C
0 0 0 5 4 0 0 0 0 6 5 0 0 0 0 8 7 0
C* Csus4-9 Cm