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Janis Ian - Jesse Chords

ChordsC, Em, Gm, A7, A, Dm, Dm7, F, G, E7, G7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

CEmGmA7
CJessecomehome,there’saEmholeinthebed
WhereweGmslept,nowit’sgrowingAcoldA7
HeyDmJesse,yourfaceintheDm7placewherewelay
BytheFhearth,all Gapart,itChangsonmyE7heart
AndI’mA7leavingthelightontheDmstairs
No,I’mnotGscared,IwaitforCyouA
DmHeyJesse,I’mGlonely,comeChome
CJesse,thefloorsandtheEmboards
RecallingyourGmstepandIrememberA,tooA7
AlltheDmpicturesarefadingandFshadedingrey
ButIGstillsetaplaceontheCtableatE7noon
AndI’mA7leavingthelightontheDmstairs
No,I’mnotGscared,IwaitforCyouA
DmHeyJesse,I’mGlonely,comeChome
CEmGmA7
CJesse,thespreadontheEmbed
IslikewhenyouGmleft,I’vekeptitallforAyouA7
AndalltheDmbluesandtheDm7greenshavebeenFrecentlycleaned
Andthey’reGseeminglynew,heyCJess’,meandE7you
We’llA7swallowthelightontheDmstairs
We’lldoupmyGhair,we’llsleepCunawareA
HeyDm,Jesse,I’mGlonely,comeChomeA7DmG7C
ArtistJanis Ian
AlbumStars
GenresFolk
Year1973
KeyC
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Janis Ian - Jesse on guitar requires 11 chords and 19 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.

Jesse uses these transitions most often: G → C (9), A7 → Dm (7), and Dm → G (6). 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 C - Em chord transition.

1. C → Em chord transition

Switching from C to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

C to Em

2. Em → Gm chord transition

To move from Em to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

Em to Gm

3. Gm → A7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Gm to A7:

  1. While playing Gm, 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 E string fret 3 to B string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

Gm to A7

4. A7 → C chord transition

To move from A7 to C:

  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 D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

A7 to C

5. Gm → A chord transition

Switching from Gm to A:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

6. A → A7 chord transition

Switching from A to A7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

7. A7 → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from A7 to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

8. Dm → Dm7 chord transition

Switching from Dm to Dm7:

  1. While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from B string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

9. Dm7 → F chord transition

Switching from Dm7 to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

10. F → G chord transition

To move from F to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

11. 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 9 times.

12. C → E7 chord transition

Switching 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, played 3 times.

13. E7 → A7 chord transition

To move 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 chorus, played 3 times.

14. Dm → G chord transition

Switching from Dm to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from E 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. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

15. C → A chord transition

To move from C to A:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  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 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

16. A → Dm chord transition

Switching from A to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

17. Dm → F chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse.

18. Dm → G7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to G7:

  1. Lift your index finger from E 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. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 1.

This transition appears in the verse.

19. G7 → C chord transition

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.

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

  • Jesse includes 65 chord transitions, 19 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Jesse contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Jesse 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 → Em: 8%
    • C → E7: 1%
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → G: 16%
    • Dm → F: 14%