CALIFORNIA DREAMING

The Mamas and the Papas

(Any copyright which may be vested in the original author of the song used in this lesson is acknowledged. Portions of the song are used here solely for educational purposes. Copyright in the material used in this lesson vests in the author of the material.)

INTRODUCTION:  Em/   D/   C/   /   B7/   /   /

/                  Em/  D/  C/         /      B7/  /  /  /
All the leaves are brown       and the sky is gray
G/     B7/   Em/       /       B7/   /   /
I went for a walk on a winters day
/               Em/  D/  C/      /        B7/  /  /
I'd be safe and warm        if I was in L.A.
/          Em/  D/  C/    /              B7/  /  /
California dreaming    on such a winters day
/          Em/  D/  C/    /              B7/  /  /
California dreaming    on such a winters day

/              Em/  D/  C/           /        B7/  /  /  /
Stopped into a church      I passed along the way
G/         B7/   Em/           /      B7/   /   /
I got down on my knees and I began to pray
    /                 Em/      D/  C/              /     B7/  /  /
You know the preacher likes to call   he knows I'm gonna stay
/          Em/  D/  C/    /              B7/  /  /
California dreaming    on such a winters day
/          Em/  D/  C/    /              B7/  /  /
California dreaming    on such a winters day


Em/  /  /          /           /  /  /
La         la  la  la  la  la  la
        C/          G/  B7/ Em/ C/      B7/   /   /
La  la  la  la  la  la  la  la  la  la  laaaa


/                  Em/  D/  C/         /      B7/  /  /  /
All the leaves are brown       and the sky is gray
G/     B7/   Em/       /       B7/   /   /
I went for a walk on a winters day
/           Em/      D/  C/        /     B7/  /  /
If I didn't tell her        I'd be on my way
/          Em/  D/  C/    /              B7/  /  /
California dreaming    on such a winters day
/          Em/  D/  C/    /              B7/  /  /
California dreaming    on such a winters day

Instructions

The chords and strum you require for this song are shown above. Click on each of them to hear how they should sound.

Click here to hear the song itself.

You have five chords in this song. Practice the B7 chord first, putting in on and taking it off; then practice changing to and from it in the sequences used in the song - C to B7 to G to B7 to Em to B7.

Practice the alternating bass pick strum using A, D and E chords until you have reasonable thumb control.
Then practice the strum using the chords in the sequence of the song
Finally play and sing the song.

There is an introduction to this song:

INTRODUCTION:  Em/   D/   C/   /   B7/   /   /
/                  Em/
All the leaves are brown

Strum the introductory chords and start to sing on the fourth B7 strum.

Strum strongly with the emphasis on the first beat (the thumb pick) of each strum

Again, if you are battling with the pick strum, you can play and sing the song using the basic 4/4 strum but please continue working on the pick strum.