Led Zeppelin › Going To California Guitar Tab

IV Tabs:

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Going To California Tab

Send "Going To California" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

GOING TO CALIFORNIA
LED ZEPPELIN


Tuning:   D A D G B E

Intro:

 ----------------|----------------|---5---5---5---5|---5-5-5-5---5-7|
 ----------------|----------------|-5---5---5---5--|--7-5---5---5-7-|
 ----------------|-7-7-----7-7----|--7---7---7---7-|------7---7-----|
 --0---0---0---0-|--0---0---0---0-|----------------|----------------|
 ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
 0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|0---------------|



                                     p                p
 3--2---0-------3|---2---0--------|--20---0---0----|--20---0---0----|
 -0---0---0-3----|-0---0---0-3----|-----3---3---3--|-----3---3---3--|
 --0---0------0--|--0---0------0--|--2---2---2---2-|--2---2---2---2-|
 ----------0---0-|----------0---0-|----------------|----------------|
 ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
 5---5---5---5---|5---5---5---5---|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|

 Spent...         Smoked...        All...
 Made...          Goin'...         In...
 Some...          Love...          In...


         p        h       h                p        h       h
 --1111--10---0--|02---0--02---0--|--1111--10---0--|02---0--02---0--|
 --3333--3--3----|---3---3---3----|--3333--3--3----|---3---3---3----|
 --2222----------|----------------|--2222----------|----------------|
 0---------------|--0---0---0---0-|0---------------|--0---0---0---0-|
 --------2-------|----------------|--------2-------|----------------|
 ----------------|0---0---0---0---|----------------|0---0---0---0---|


(double spaced for double digits...  essentially an Am7 up 9 frets...)

  - - - 12- - - 12- - - 12- - - 12| - - - 12- - - 12- - - 12- - - 12|
  - - 10- - - 10- - - 10- - - 10- | - - 10- - - 10- - - 10- - - 10- |
  - 11- - - 11- - - 11- - - 11- - | - 11- - - 11- - - 11- - - 11- - |
  - - - - 0 - - - - - - - 0 - - - | - - - - 0 - - - - - - - 0 - - - |
  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
  0 - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - | 0 - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - |



                                     p                p
 ----------------|----------------|--20---0---0----|--20---0---0----|
 ---0---3---0----|---0---3---3----|-----3---3---3--|-----3---3---3--|
 -0---0---0---0-0|-0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0-|--0---0---0---0-|
 --0---0---0---0-|--0---0---0---0-|----------------|----------------|
 ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
 5---5---5---5---|5---5---5---5---|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|

 Took...          Never...         same...
 Sea...           Wonder...        day...
 Mount...         Chil...          wake...            watch out...   


                                           h                h
 -0---0---0---0--|-0---0---0---0--|-----------0----|-----------0----|
 6--6---6---6---6|---6---6---6----|--2-----23---3--|--2-----23---3--|
 --7---7---7---7-|--7---7---7---7-|-----2----------|-----2----------|
 0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|--2---2---2---2-|--2---2---2---2-|
 ----------------|----------------|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|
 ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|

 Seems...       nose...            sinking...
 Throw...         Meet...          high...

ending:
   p                p                p                p
 --20---0---0----|--20---0---0----|--20---0---0----|--20---0---0----|
 -----3---3---3--|-----3---3---3--|-----3---3---3--|-----3---3---3--|
 --2---2---2---2-|--2---2---2---2-|--2---2---2---2-|--2---2---2---2-|
 ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
 ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
 0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|0---0---0---0---|
 Ahhhhh.....      Ahhhhh.....      Ahhhhh..... 
 Ahhhhh.....      Ahhhhh.....      Ahhhhh.....      Fade out...

        Spent my days with a woman unkind:
        Smoked my stuff and drank  all my wine.
        Made up my mind, make a new start,
        Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart.
        Someone told me there's a girl out there
        With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.

        Took my chances on a big jet plane.
        Never let 'em tell you that they're all the same.
        Ah, the Sea was red and the Sky was grey:
        I wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today.
        The mountains and the canyons start to tremble and shake:
        Children of the Sun begin to wake....  [spoken:] watch out


        Seems like the wrath of the Gods: got a punch on the nose
        and it's startin' to flow, I think I might be sinking.
        Throw me a line, if I reach it in time
        (I'll) meet you up there where the path runs straight and high.


        Find a Queen without a King,
        They say she plays guitar and cries and sings: la-la-la-la.
        Ride a white mare on the footsteps of Dawn,
        Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.
        Standing on a hill and a mountain of dreams,
        Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems....
        
        Ahhhhh..... Ahhhhh..... Ahhhhh..... 
        Ahhhhh..... Ahhhhh..... Ahhhhh.....      Fade out...


-----------
Another Version:



Rhythm:  all eighth notes, played in cut time.

Intro: second half of the "D" tab.

"G" tab
E|------------------
B|------------------
G|-0-------0-------- play 4 times
D|-----0-4-----0-4--
A|---2-------2------
E|------------------

"D" tab
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------
B|---------------------------------|---------------------------------
G|-----0---------------------------|---2-0-2---2---2---2---2---2---2-
D|-4-------4---2---0---0---2---4---|-4-------4---2---0---0---2---4---
A|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0-|---------------------------------
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------

"Dm" tab				  A7         Asus4 A7
E||-----------------------------------|||---------------------------------||
B||-----------------------------------|||---------------------------------||
G||*---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2--*|*---2---2---2---2---2---3---2---2-*|
D||*-3---3---2---0---3---3---2---0----*|*-------------0-------------------*|
A||-----------------------------------|||-4---4---4-------4---4---4---4---||
E||-----------------------------------|||---------------------------------||

Verses:

G						       D
Spent my days with a woman unkind, smoked my stuff and drank all my wine

G
Made up my mind, going to make a new start, going to California with an aching
	D
	in my heart

(etc. until:)

Dm
Seems that the wrath of the....

I hope this helps somewhat.  Also, the song is written in the key of D, if
anyone wants to know.

Hopefully, I'll try to post a few other Zeppelin tabs if I get the chance.


From: chorowit@us.oracle.com (Chuck (cntr-T.Ryan) Horowitz)
Subject: Going To California TAB

Going To California by Led Zeppelin

This song has two acoustic guitars and a mandolin.
However I only know the guitar parts so just
play with notes for the mandolin stuff.

Both guitars are tuned to DGDGBD.

Intro on one guitar

d-----0------------0------------------------------------------------------
b------------3------------------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
d---------0-----------0---------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--0------------0---------------------------------------------------------

At the start of the lyrics, still one guitar

d---5-------4--4---2----0-----0--2-----0--0-------------------------------
b-------0------------0--------------0--------0----------------------------
g-------0------------0--------------0--------0----------------------------
d-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g---0----------0--------------0-----------0-------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------

At "all my wine" and at corresponding part in next verse

d--------42--2---0------7---------7--------------------------------------
b--5/7-----5--5------0----------7-----------------------------------------
g----------------------------9--------------------------------------------
d--------0-----------0----------0-----------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--0----------0----------0------------------------------------------------


When the second guitar enters is plays this..

d--3--2--0---3---3---2--0-----0-------2--0--0----2----0--------0----------
b---------------------------------------------------------3---------------
g----------------------------------0--------------------------------------
d--------0-------0------0-----4----------4-----0--------0---------0-------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--0------------------------------------------------0-------0-------------

While the second guitar plays this..

d-------------------------------------------------------------------------
b-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
d-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------

d-----0--0--0------0--0--0------4-------------5---5--4-------0-0-0-0------
b-----0--0--0------0--0--0------3------2h3p2------2-----3----0-0-0-0------
g-----0--0--0------0--0--0------2----------------------------0-0-0-0------
d-------------------------------0-----------------------------------------
g---------------4---------------------------------------------------------
D--0-------------------------0--------------------------------------------

d--0----0-------0----0-----2--4-------------------------------------------
b--0----0-------0----0-----3--3-------------------------------------------
g--0----0-------0----0-----2--2-------------------------------------------
d-----------------------------0-------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the "wrath of the gods" part.. guitar 1 plays X 4

d-7----0--5--5-----0---7--------------------------------------------------
b---6-----------6---------------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
d------------0------------------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-7-----------------------------------------------------------------------

then...                 
|--------X1---------|  |----------X3-----------------|
d----------0---0-------0-------0---0--------0--0--------------------------
b-----0--2--------2---------2------------2-------0--2---------------------
g--0----------------------0-----------0-----------------------------------
d-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g----------------------2-----------2-----------2--------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------

And guitar 2 plays
  |------X4-----------| |-----X4-------------|
d----0-----------0--------------------------------------------------------
b-------5--5--6-----6-------2h3---3---2-----2-----------------------------
g-6-----------------------------------------------------------------------
d----------0----------------2---------------------------------------------
g------------------------2--------2------2--------------------------------
D-7-----------------------------------------------------------------------

After that, replay the intro accompanyed by this on guitar 2

d---------7----------------7-------------7--7--------7--------------------
b------7----------------7-------------7-----------7-----------------------
g---7---------7--7---9----------7--9-----------9--------------------------
d-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g---7------------7--------------7-----7-----7-----7-----------------------
D---------7-------------7-------------------------------------------------

d----------------------7-----7--------7---7--------7----------------------
b-------------------7--------------7------------7-------------------------
g--7---9--7--7--9---------------9------------9----------------------------
d----------------------------------0------------0-------------------------
g--7---7-----7------7-----------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------0------------0-------------------------------

On the outro both guitar play essentially the same thing.

d--0----2---2--2-----0----------------------------------------------------
b-------------------------------------------------------------------------
g-------------------------------------------------------------------------
d-----0-----------0-------------------------------------------------------
g-----------0-------------------------------------------------------------
D--0----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Going To California Tab

Send "Going To California" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/l/led_zeppelin/270382.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Conar Wanna Be	#1 by Conar Gillard at Sep 6, 1970 at 10:59 AM EST
	this just might be my favorite Led Zeppelin song. i purchased the new DVD set about a month ago and it was the first time i had ever heard the song. it is the video clip i think i have watched the most on the whole DVD because it's so great to see them sitting down, acoustic, and relaxed. a totally different side to Zeppelin.

No Picture Mike Wanna Be	#2 by Mike Jeffries at May 22, 1972 at 3:38 AM EST
	would never been born refer to an angel?

No Picture Sam Average	#3 by Sam Ordway at May 20, 1974 at 10:50 PM EST
	Going to California...I think its all about their love for the state. People have a tendency to idealize California, and it shows further throughout this song. Whatever the real interpretation, beautifully played song.

No Picture Jonathan Rhythm Player	#4 by Jonathan Matuszyk at Oct 3, 1977 at 12:42 AM EST
	I think this is only a highly cynical song if you look at the lyrics in a highly cynical way and I feel sorry for those people how do so. He can't know for sure that he will or will not find the woman of his dream and the song represents his uncertainty. For me this song is about hope and having the courage to pursue your dreams. The idea that he might not achieve his dreams makes them all the more beautiful.

No Picture Dan Average	#5 by Dan Flores at Jan 7, 1985 at 11:06 PM EST
	Favorite Line: "Sea Was Red And The Sky Was Gray, I Wonder How Tomorrow Could Ever Follow Today"

No Picture brandon Rhythm Player	#6 by brandon q at Oct 13, 1985 at 3:08 AM EST
	you guys may be right...but my interpretation (or however you spell it) is that this song is about suicide...like you guys said...figuring out Led Zeppelin songs is simply impossible, unless one of the band members told u personally

No Picture klown Rhythm Player	#7 by klown at Mar 27, 1986 at 9:12 PM EST
	This is another one of Zep's Lord of the Rings songs. California, as the land over the sea to the West (relative to the UK), stands in for Numenor, the land to which the Eldar, the Ring-Bearer, and the Ishtari return at the end of the Second Age. Specifically, it is from Samwise's point of view, as he nears the end of his life, smoking his Shire leaf and drinking his Hobbit wine as an old Hobbit, Frodo long since passed. His heart aches as he thinks of leaving his grandchildren and (of course) his garden, yet he remembers the "girl out there" (Galadriel) who will be waiting for him in the West. She is also the "Queen without a king," and she has "never been born" as Men and Hobbits are due to her Elven race.

No Picture brennan Average	#8 by brennan collins at Jul 30, 1990 at 5:29 PM EST
	I see a lot of varying ideas of what this song means here....good stuff....For me this is one of the greatest and most powerful zeppelin songs....and I have a really hard time declaring favorites.....All zeppelin is amazing...But this one stands just shoulders above the others I think....FOr me this is a song about rebirth....A new beginning....a second chance to do things right from the first...Sometimes life presents us the rare oportunity to recreate ourselves...be reborn.....like a pheonix from the ashes....This song encompasses that entire jubilant, vibrant life that comes from such new beginnings... A few lines in particular that stick out for me are of course... The sea was red and the sky was grey, wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today....Living for the moment leaves a lot of wonder and excitment about tomorrow....I mean if today is this amazing, what might tomorrow hold.... Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.....I see a knight on horse back forever searching for the perfect soul mate...it maybe a hopeless journey...but the optimism that I feel coming through in this statement is very reassuring..... Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams, Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.....If Led Zeppelin, who is standing atop that very mountain of dreams.....is telling me it's not as hard as it seems?....What do I stand to lose.... This song is pure energy, love and inspiration......A master piece.....I feel if you open your mind as well as your ears, there are some beautiful lessons Zeppelin can teach us all.... But all I really have to say is....this song is playin as I find myself ramblin'......I've made up my mind to make a new start.....Goin out into the world with an achin' in my heart......Peace and love ya'll......

No Picture leester Professional	#9 by leester at Feb 9, 1993 at 3:55 PM EST
	ok, i dont think anyone has nailed what this song means so far, but it sounds like marleyiskey has the most plausible explanation. the part about the girl with flowers in her hair can totally be about california, seeing as how it has an unusually large amout of hot girls, but anyways, its a great song, very mellow and easy to listen to.

No Picture David Rhythm Player	#10 by David Bradley at Dec 13, 2001 at 11:24 AM EST
	I agree with the previous sentiment. I think this has nothing to do with LotR, though many Led Zeppelin songs do. This is, in fact, a very sad song. It does sound optimistic at first; OK, I've just been dumped by my bitch of a girlfriend ("a woman unkind"), I'm smoking and drinking myself to death ... wait on, maybe I'll start anew! The media has a tendency to idealise California, and particularly the Californian girl. Take the Beach Boys' song, for example. Quite simply, he thinks that there is the woman for him, this perfect woman that he's been seeking all his life, so off he goes. The poor bastard is dreaming. The woman he seeks ... a girl "with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair", has "never, never been born." THAT'S the crucial line in the song. It's just a roundabout way of saying that she doesn't exist ... a sexist statement, maybe, but there it is. But he'll go on looking, spurred on by all of these false hopes and dreams he's built around (and under) himself, and is telling himself that in the end he'll find the woman of his dreams. He won't. But he's so caught up in his own optimism that he can't see it ... and he won't accept it when people try to tell him that "they're all the same." It's actually a highly cynical song, if you look at the lyrics in a certain way. Jordan plays back! Swoosh! And that's the game! Nothing further, your Honour.

No Picture Conar Wanna Be	#11 by Conar Gillard at Oct 30, 2002 at 2:13 AM EST
	I heard somewhere that this song is simply about how much the band just loves california and its a great tribute one of the best songs on one of the best albums of all time

No Picture Sir Stuff Professional	#12 by Sir Stuff at Feb 19, 2004 at 6:03 AM EST
	I heard that it was originally about an earthquake and the lyrics were from a poem Plant or Page found and they just strecthed it out from there.

No Picture J_ROC Lead Player	#13 by J_ROC at Nov 9, 2005 at 2:37 PM EST
	I am a big Led Zeppelin and a Joni Mitchell fan, and i read in a review that the girl " To find a queen without a king, They say she plays guitar and cries and sings.. la la" is joni mitchell. Then in a live recording of this song, (which happens to be my favorite) after this lyric is sung he calls out Joni. I think this as for all songs, only means something to you, so yes i see the lotr relation but also it can be just about his love for california.