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Joan Baez - Donna Donna Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, E, Dm, G, C
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 E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

[Opening]
[Am] [E] [Am] [E]
[Am]On a [E]wagon [Am]bound for [E]market
[Am]There’s a [Dm]calf with a [Am]mournful [E]eye
[Am]High a[E]bove him [Am]there’s a [E]swallow
[Am]Winging [Dm]swiftly [Am]through [E]the [Am]sky

[chorus]
[G]How the winds are [C]laughing [Am]
They [G]laugh with all their [C]might
[G]Laugh and laugh the [C]whole day [Am]through
And [E]half the summer’s [Am]night
[E]Donna Donna Donna [Am]Donna
[G]Donna Donna Donna [C]Don
[E]Donna Donna Donna [Am]Donna
[E]Donna Donna Donna [Am]Don [E] [Am] [E]

[verse 2]
[Am]“Stop com[E]plaining” [Am]said the [E]farmer
[Am]“Who told [Dm]you a [Am]calf to [E]be?
[Am]Why don’t [E]you have [Am]wings to [E]fly with
[Am]Like the [Dm]swallow, so [Am]proud [E]and [Am]free?”

[Closing]
[Am]Calves are [E]easily [Am]bound and [E]slaughtered
[Am]Never [Dm]knowing the [Am]reason [E]why
[Am]But who[E]ever [Am]treasures [E]freedom
[Am]Like the [Dm]swallow has [Am]learned [E]to [Am]fly

[chorus]
[G]How the winds are [C]laughing [Am]
They [G]laugh with all their [C]might
[G]Laugh and laugh the [C]whole day [Am]through
And [E]half the summer’s [Am]night
[E]Donna Donna Donna [Am]Donna
[G]Donna Donna Donna [C]Don
[E]Donna Donna Donna [Am]Donna
[E]Donna Donna Donna [Am]Don [E] [Am] [E]

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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.
ArtistJoan Baez
AlbumJoan Baez
GenresFolk
Year1960
KeyAM

How to play Donna Donna on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Joan Baez - Donna Donna on guitar requires 5 chords and 6 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.

Donna Donna uses these transitions most often: E → Am (31), Am → E (30), and G → C (8). 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 - E chord transition.

1. Am → E chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

To move from Am to E;

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

2. Am → Dm chord transition

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

To move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.
Am to Dm

3. 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

4. G → C chord transition

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

To move from G to C;

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

5. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am;

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

6. C → E chord transition

To move from C to E;

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

Donna Donna chord transition analysis

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

  • Donna Donna includes 95 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Donna Donna contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Donna Donna connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → G: 21%
    • Am → Dm: 8%
    After E, the most likely next chords across Chordier are A (25%), D (14%), and B (11%).
    • E → Am: 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.