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Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, G, Dm, F, C, Bm, D, F#, E
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-3-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

[Opening]
[Am] [G] [Dm] [Am] [Am] [G] [Dm] [Am]
[Am]Getting born in the [G]state of Mississippi,
Her [Dm]Poppa was a copper and her [Am]Momma was a hippie
[Am]In Alabama [G]she would swing a hammer,
[Dm]Price you gotta pay when you [Am]break the panorama
[Am]She never [G]knew that there was [Dm]anything [Am]more than poor,
[Am]What in the [G]world does your [Dm]company [Am]take me for?

[verse 2]
[Am]Black bandana, [G]sweet Louisiana, [Dm]robbing on a bank in the [Am]state of Indiana,
[Am]She’s a runner, [G]rebel and a stunner, [Dm]on her merry way sayin’, [Am]”baby whatcha gonna”
[Am]Lookin’ down the [G]barrel of a [Dm]hot metal [Am].45, [Am]Just another [G]way to [Dm]survive

[chorus]
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah

[verse 3]
[Am] [G] [Dm] [Am] [Am] [G] [Dm] [Am]
[Am]She’s a lover, [G]baby and a fighter, [Dm]shoulda seen it coming when it [Am]got a little brighter,
[Am]With a name like [G]”Dani California”, [Dm]day was gonna come when [Am]I was gonna mourn ya,
[Am]A little [G]loaded, she was [Dm]stealing [Am]another breath, [Am]I love my [G]baby to [Dm]death

[chorus]
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah

[verse 4]
[Bm]Who knew the [G]other [D]side of [F#]you? [Bm]Who knew what [G]others [D]died to [F#]prove?
[Bm]Too true to [G]say [D]goodbye to [F#]you, [Bm]too true, too sad, sad, sad

[Closing]
[Am]Push the fader, [G]gifted animator, [Dm]one for the now and [Am]eleven for the later,
[Am]Never made it [G]up to Minnesota, [Dm]North Dakota man was a [Am]gunning for the quota
[Am]Down in the [G]Badlands she was [Dm]saving the [Am]best for last,
[Am]It only [G]hurts when I [Dm]laugh; gone [E]too fast

[chorus]
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah
[F]California, [C]Rest In [Dm]Peace, [G]simultaneous [F] [C]release, [Dm]
[G] [F]California, [C]show your [Dm]teeth, she’s [G]my [F]priestess, [C]I’m your [Dm]priest, yeah, yeah

[outro]
[F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [Dm]
[F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G] [F] [C] [Dm] [G]
[F] [C] [Dm]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistRed Hot Chili Peppers
AlbumStadium Arcadium
GenresAlternative, Indie, Rock
Year2006
KeyAm

How to play Dani California on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California on guitar requires 9 chords and 15 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Dani California uses these transitions most often: C → Dm (24), F → C (24), and G → Dm (21). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with Am - G chord transition.

1. Am → G chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from Am to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
Am to G

2. G → Dm chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram

To move from G to Dm;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
G to Dm

3. Dm → Am chord transition

Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from Dm to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
Dm to Am

4. Dm → F chord transition

Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from Dm to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.
Dm to F

5. F → C chord transition

To move from F to C;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

6. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

7. G → F chord transition

To move from G to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

8. Dm → Bm chord transition

To move from Dm to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

9. Bm → G chord transition

To move from Bm to G;

  1. While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.

10. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

11. D → F# chord transition

To move from D to F#;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

12. F# → Bm chord transition

To move from F# to Bm;

  1. Keep index finger on E string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 4 to D string fret 4.
  4. Lift your pinky from D string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 4.

13. Bm → Am chord transition

To move from Bm to Am;

  1. While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on G string fret 2.

14. Dm → E chord transition

To move from Dm to E;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.

15. E → F chord transition

To move from E to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

Dani California chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Dani California.

  • Dani California includes 165 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Dani California contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Dani California connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → G: 16%
    • Dm → Am: 14%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → D: 24%
    • G → F: 9%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.