Share the California Dreamin' Chords and Strumming:
Did You Know? California Dreamin' was written by husband and wife John and Michelle Phillips. They wrote it while living in New York City during the winter longed for sunny California where Michelle was from. They originally sang backing vocals on the song when it was recorded by Barry McGuire and later recorded their own version as The Mamas and the Papas.
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Difficulty Level Of Original Recorded Song: Orange Pick
Most Advanced Rhythm: Yellow Pick
Most Advanced Chord Change: Orange Pick
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Orange Pick Level
California Dreamin' Chords And Strumming, The Mamas And The Papas
Open Chords: (capo fret 4)
Open C chord
Open G chord
Open Am chord
Open Asus2 chord
Open Asus4 chord
Open F∆7 chord
Open E7 chord
Open E7sus4 chord
Strumming:
"Bouncer": |D D U D D U |
"Driver": |D D D U D U |
"Straight 8s": |D U D U D U D U |
Tempo: 112 bpm Key: C#m
Intro -
Verse 1 -
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - F∆7 - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F∆7 - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7sus4 - - - |
All the leaves are (Am½)brown (G½) (F∆7½)
And the (G½)sky is (E7sus4)gray (E7½)
(F∆7½)I've been for a (C½)walk (E7½) (Am½)
On a (F∆7½)winter's (E7sus4)day (E7)
I'd be safe and (Am½)warm (G½) (F∆7½)
If I (G½)was in L.(E7sus4)A. (E7)
California (Am½)dreamin' (G½) (F∆7½)
On (G½)such a winters (E7sus4x2)day
Verse 2 -
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - F∆7 - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F∆7 - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7sus4 - - - |
Stopped into a (Am½)church (G½) (F∆7½)
I passed a(G½)long the (E7sus4)way (E7½)
Well, I (F∆7½)got down on my (C½)knees (E7½) (Am½)
And I pre(F∆7½)tend to (E7sus4)pray (E7)
You know the preacher like the (Am½)cold (G½) (F∆7½)
He knows (G½)I'm gonna (E7sus4)stay (E7)
California (Am½)dreamin' (G½) (F∆7½)
On (G½)such a winters (E7sus4x2)day
Middle 8 -
|Am - - - |Am - - - |Am - - - |Am - F∆7 - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F∆7 - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
||Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - || x 2
Verse 3 -
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - F∆7 - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F∆7 - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
||Am - G - |F∆7 - G -|| x 3
|F∆7 - - - |F∆7 - - - |
All the leaves are (Am½)brown (G½) (F∆7½)
And the (G½)sky is (E7sus4)gray (E7½)
(F∆7½)I've been for a (C½)walk (E7½) (Am½)
On a (F∆7½)winter's (E7sus4)day (E7)
If I didn't (Am½)tell her (G½) (F∆7½)
If I could (G½)leave to(E7sus4)day (E7)
California (Am½)dreamin' (G½) (F∆7½)
On (G½)such a winters (Am½)day
Cali(G½)fornia (F∆7½)dreamin'
On (G½)such a winters (Am½)day
Cali(G½)fornia (F∆7½)dreamin'
On (G½)such a winters (F∆7x2)day
Final Chord Strum: Am
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Blue Pick Level
California Dreamin' Chords And Strumming, The Mamas And The Papas
Open Chords: (capo fret 4)
Open C chord
Open G chord
Open Am chord
Open Asus2 chord
Open Asus4 chord
Open E7 chord
Open E7sus4 chord
Barre Chords:
Barre F chord
Strumming:
"Bouncer": |D D U D D U |
"Driver": |D D D U D U |
"Straight 8s": |D U D U D U D U |
Tempo: 112 bpm Key: C#m
Intro -
Verse 1 -
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - F - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7sus4 - - - |
All the leaves are (Am½)brown (G½) (F½)
And the (G½)sky is (E7sus4)gray (E7½)
(F½)I've been for a (C½)walk (E7½) (Am½)
On a (F½)winter's (E7sus4)day (E7)
I'd be safe and (Am½)warm (G½) (F½)
If I (G½)was in L.(E7sus4)A. (E7)
California (Am½)dreamin' (G½) (F½)
On (G½)such a winters (E7sus4x2)day
Verse 2 -
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - F - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7sus4 - - - |
Stopped into a (Am½)church (G½) (F½)
I passed a(G½)long the (E7sus4)way (E7½)
Well, I (F½)got down on my (C½)knees (E7½) (Am½)
And I pre(F½)tend to (E7sus4)pray (E7)
You know the preacher like the (Am½)cold (G½) (F½)
He knows (G½)I'm gonna (E7sus4)stay (E7)
California (Am½)dreamin' (G½) (F½)
On (G½)such a winters (E7sus4x2)day
Middle 8 -
|Am - - - |Am - - - |Am - - - |Am - F - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
||Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - || x 2
Verse 3 -
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - F - |
|C - E7 - |Am - F - |E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
|Am - G - |F - G -|E7sus4 - - - |E7 - - - |
||Am - G - |F - G -|| x 3
|F - - - |F - - - |
All the leaves are (Am½)brown (G½) (F½)
And the (G½)sky is (E7sus4)gray (E7½)
(F½)I've been for a (C½)walk (E7½) (Am½)
On a (F½)winter's (E7sus4)day (E7)
If I didn't (Am½)tell her (G½) (F½)
If I could (G½)leave to(E7sus4)day (E7)
California (Am½)dreamin' (G½) (F½)
On (G½)such a winters (Am½)day
Cali(G½)fornia (F½)dreamin'
On (G½)such a winters (Am½)day
Cali(G½)fornia (F½)dreamin'
On (G½)such a winters (Fx2)day
Final Chord Strum: Am
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Click below to discover how I can help you -
We'll have a 45 minute call over zoom and we'll start with diagnosing your current situation. Then we'll see if my process will work for you and map out an action plan to get you playing your favourite songs confidently.
California Dreamin' Videos
California Dreamin' Lyrics
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
If I didn't tell her (if I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
Share the California Dreamin' Chords and Strumming: