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Janis Joplin - San Francisco Bay Blues Chords

ChordsA7, D7, G, C, G7, E7, B7, A
Strumming↓-↓↓↑

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

A7D7GD7
IgottheGblueswhenmybabyleftme
CbytheSanFranciscoGBayG7
TheCoceanlinersgonesofarGawayG7
Ididn’tCmeantotreathersobad,
shewastheGbestgirlIeverE7had
A7Shesaidgoodbye,Icantakeacry,
D7Iwannalaydownanddie
IGain’tgotanickelandICain’tgotalousyGdimeG7
SheCdon’tcomeback,thinkI’mgoingtolosemyB7mind
CIfsheevergetsbacktostay,it’sgoingto
GbeanotherbrandnewE7day
A7Walkingwithmybabydown
D7bytheSanFranciscoGBayD7
GSittingdownClookingfrommyGbackdoor,
WonderingwhichCwaytoGgo
CWomanI’msocrazyabout,shedon’tlovemenoGmore
CThinkI’llcatchmeafreighttrain,GcauseI’mfeelingE7blue
A7Rideallthewaytotheendoftheline,D7thinkingonlyofyou
GMeanwhileClivin’intheGcity,justabouttoCgoGinsane
CThoughtIheardmybaby,lord,E7thewaysheusedtocallmyname
CIfIevergetherbacktostay,it’sgoingto
GbeanotherbrandnewE7day
AWalkingwithmybabydownD7bytheSanFranciscoGBay,
heyE7hey
A7WalkingwithmybabydownD7bytheSanFranciscoGBay
B7YeahE7walkingA7withmybabydownD7bytheSanFranciscoGBay
CGD7G
AlbumJanis
GenresBlues, Folk
Year1975
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Janis Joplin - San Francisco Bay Blues on guitar requires 8 chords and 13 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: C → G (13), D7 → G (10), and G → C (10). 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 A7 - D7 chord transition.

1. 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 6 times.

A7 to D7

2. D7 → G chord transition

Here's how to move from D7 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 G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

D7 to G

3. G → C chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

G to C

4. G → G7 chord transition

Here's how to move from G to G7:

  1. Keep index finger on A string fret 2.
  2. Keep middle finger on E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 1.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

G to G7

5. G7 → C chord transition

Switching 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 3 times.

6. G → E7 chord transition

To move from G to E7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

7. 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, played 5 times.

8. C → B7 chord transition

Here's how to move from C to B7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

9. C → E7 chord transition

Here's how 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.

10. E7 → A chord transition

To move from E7 to A:

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on B string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse.

11. A → D7 chord transition

Here's how to move from A to D7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

12. G → B7 chord transition

To move from G to B7:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

13. B7 → E7 chord transition

Here's how to move from B7 to E7:

  1. While playing B7, first lift your ring finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on A 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 66 chord transitions, 13 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 G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → G7: 2%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → E7: 1%