Led Zeppelin - Going To California Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Dm chord diagram
Guitar A7 chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram
[Opening]
[D]
[G]Spent my days with a woman unkind,
Smoked my stuff and drank all my [D]wine.
[G]Made up my mind to make a new start,
Going to California with an aching in my [D]heart.
[G]Someone told me theres a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her [D]hair.
[interlude]
[Dm] [G] [D] [Dm] [G] [D]
[verse 2]
[G]Took my chances on a big jet plane,
Never let them tell you that they’re all the [D]same.
[G]The sea was red and the sky was grey,
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow to[D]day.
[G]The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
As the children of the sun began to a[D]wake.
[verse 3]
[Dm]Seems that the wrath of the gods
Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow;
I think I might be si[A7]nkin[A]g.
[Dm]Throw me a line if I reach it in time
Ill meet you up there where the path
Runs straight and [A7]high [A]
[interlude]
[D]
[Closing]
[G]To find a queen without a king;
They say she plays guitar and cries as she [D]sings.
[G]Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin to find a woman who’s never, never, never been [D]born.
[G]Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,
Telling myself its not as hard, hard, hard as it [D]seems.
[outro]
[Dm] [G] [D] [Dm] [G] [D]
How to play Going To California on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Led Zeppelin - Going To California on guitar requires 5 chords and 7 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.
Going To California uses these transitions most often: G → D (13), D → G (9), and D → Dm (5). 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 D - G chord transition.
1. D → G chord transition
To move from D to G;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
2. D → Dm chord transition
To move from D to Dm;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on B string fret 3.
3. Dm → G chord transition
To move from Dm to G;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
4. Dm → A7 chord transition
To move from Dm to A7;
- While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from B string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to B string fret 2.
5. A7 → A chord transition
To move from A7 to A;
- Keep index finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from B string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on B string fret 2.
6. A → Dm chord transition
To move from A to Dm;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.
7. A → D chord transition
To move from A to D;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.
Going To California chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Going To California.
- Going To California includes 37 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Going To California contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Going To California connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
- D → G: 29%
- D → Dm: 1%
After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).- G → D: 24%