Skip to song content

Eric Clapton - San Francisco Bay Blues Chords

ChordsD7, G7, C, F, C7, A7, E7, B, Bb, D
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

D7G7CG7
IgottheCblueswhenmybabyleftme
FbytheSanFranciscoCBayC7
TheFoceanlinersgonesofarCawayC7
FIdidn’tmeantotreathersobad,
shewastheCbestgirlIeverA7had
D7Shesaidgoodbye,Icantakeacry,
G7Iwannalaydownanddie
ICain’tgotanickelandIFain’tgotalousyCdimeC7
SheFdon’tcomeback,thinkI’mgoingtolosemyE7mind
FIfsheevergetsbacktostay,it’sgoingto
CbeanotherbrandnewA7day
D7Walkingwithmybabydown
G7bytheSanFranciscoCBayG7
CSittingdownFlookingfrommyCbackdoor,
WonderingwhichFwaytoC7go
FWomanI’msocrazyabout,shedon’tlovemenoCmore
FThinkI’llcatchmeafreighttrain,CcauseI’mfeelingA7blue
D7Rideallthewaytotheendoftheline,G7thinkingonlyofyou
CMeanwhileFlivin’intheCcity,justabouttoFgoCinsane
FThoughtIheardmybaby,lord,E7thewaysheusedtocallmyname
FIfIevergetherbacktostay,it’sgoingto
CbeanotherBbrandBbnewA7day
DWalkingwithmybabydownG7bytheSanFranciscoCBay,
heyA7hey
D7WalkingwithmybabydownG7bytheSanFranciscoCBay
E7YeahA7walkingD7withmybabydownG7bytheSanFranciscoCBay
FCG7C
AlbumUnplugged
Year1992
KeyC
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play San Francisco Bay Blues on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Eric Clapton - San Francisco Bay Blues on guitar requires 10 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.

San Francisco Bay Blues uses these transitions most often: F → C (12), G7 → C (10), and C → F (9). 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 D7 - G7 chord transition.

1. D7 → G7 chord transition

To move from D7 to G7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

D7 to G7

2. G7 → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G7 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 1 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

G7 to C

3. C → F chord transition

Switching from C to F:

  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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 9 times.

C to F

4. C → C7 chord transition

Switching from C to C7:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

C to C7

5. C7 → F chord transition

Switching from C7 to F:

  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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Lift your pinky from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. C → A7 chord transition

Here's how to move from C to A7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

7. A7 → D7 chord transition

To move from A7 to D7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

8. F → E7 chord transition

To move from F to E7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

9. C → B chord transition

To move from C to B:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

10. B → Bb chord transition

To move from B to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

11. Bb → A7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Bb to A7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

12. A7 → D chord transition

To move from A7 to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

13. D → G7 chord transition

To move from D to G7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

14. C → E7 chord transition

To move from C to E7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

15. E7 → A7 chord transition

Switching from E7 to A7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in San Francisco Bay Blues.

  • San Francisco Bay Blues includes 68 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • San Francisco Bay Blues contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how San Francisco Bay Blues connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → F: 16%
    • C → G7: 2%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → E7: 1%