Janis Joplin - San Francisco Bay Blues Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
[Opening]
[A7] [D7] [G] [D7]
I got the [G]blues when my baby left me
[C]by the San Francisco [G]Bay [G7]
The [C]ocean liners gone so far [G]away [G7]
I didn’t [C]mean to treat her so bad,
she was the [G]best girl I ever [E7]had
[A7]She said goodbye, I can take a cry,
[D7]I wanna lay down and die
[verse 2]
I [G]ain’t got a nickel and I [C]ain’t got a lousy [G]dime [G7]
She [C]don’t come back, think I’m going to lose my [B7]mind
[C]If she ever gets back to stay, it’s going to
[G]be another brand new [E7]day
[A7]Walking with my baby down
[D7]by the San Francisco [G]Bay [D7]
[verse 3]
[G]Sitting down [C]looking from my [G]back door,
Wondering which [C]way to [G]go
[C]Woman I’m so crazy about, she don’t love me no [G]more
[C]Think I’ll catch me a freight train, [G]cause I’m feeling [E7]blue
[A7]Ride all the way to the end of the line, [D7]thinking only of you
[verse 4]
[G]Meanwhile [C]livin’ in the [G]city, just about to [C]go [G]insane
[C]Thought I heard my baby, lord, [E7]the way she used to call my name
[C]If I ever get her back to stay, it’s going to
[G]be another brand new [E7]day
[A]Walking with my baby down [D7]by the San Francisco [G]Bay,
hey [E7]hey
[Closing]
[A7]Walking with my baby down [D7]by the San Francisco [G]Bay
[B7] [E7]Yeah [A7]walking with my baby down [D7]by the San Francisco [G]Bay
[C] [G] [D7] [G]
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;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
2. D7 → G chord transition
To move from D7 to G;
- Lift your index finger from B 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.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.
3. G → C chord transition
To move from G to C;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
4. G → G7 chord transition
To move from G to G7;
- Keep index finger on A string fret 2.
- Keep middle finger on E string fret 3.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 1.
5. G7 → C chord transition
To move from G7 to C;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 3.
6. G → E7 chord transition
To move from G to E7;
- While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
7. E7 → A7 chord transition
To move from E7 to A7;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to B string fret 2.
8. C → B7 chord transition
To move from C to B7;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place pinky on E string fret 2.
9. C → E7 chord transition
To move from C to E7;
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
10. E7 → A chord transition
To move from E7 to A;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on B string fret 2.
11. A → D7 chord transition
To move from A to D7;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from B string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
12. G → B7 chord transition
To move from G to B7;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Place pinky on E string fret 2.
13. B7 → E7 chord transition
To move from B7 to E7;
- While playing B7, first lift your ring finger and pinky.
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.
San Francisco Bay Blues chord transition analysis
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%