The other tab was right, but this is another way to play it. Since in the studio version
(pretty much) just Mat on the piano, playing this as a solo serenade on the guitar is
pretty easy, and in my opinion, it's much prettier with the following lay-out.
Capo 5. Chords relative to capo.
C F
Under the TV lights, you fell asleep again
C G
Dont know, I'm writing this song about you
C F
There's a picture of a Hollywood sign, reflecting off your skin
C G
I don't want to live another day without you
C F
You woke up and said baby I, had one of those dreams again
C G
The rain came down and I lost you, In the wind
C F
You said something about don't leave, before you fell back asleep
C G
Before I could sing my song back to you
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/mat_kearney/new_york_to_california_crd_ver_3.html ]
F
But you
C G
Could find yourself lost out in this world
F
And I
C G
Could find a way to get back to your side
F G
No mountains too high, no stone is too small
Am G
I'll build a bridge through the fire, for you I would crawl
C F C F
From New York to California
...
C
La la la la
F
Oh, it's not that far
etc. (it just keeps switching from C to F)
NOTES:
This is an adaptation, but I believe all of the chords are still correct. It will sound
lot different on the acoustic guitar, but it's still pretty as hell (and in my opinion
prettier because I like the guitar more than the piano). I know the song for both
and I prefer this version.
For the chords, here's what I am playing MOST of the time:
C: (0)10230
F: (0)12331 (use thumb for first fret of low E string)
G: x00023
Am: 012200
I put the (0) in parentheses because sometimes the top E is scratched, and sometimes it
just sort of hit, not by accident necessarily, but just as accompaniment. For that
the F chord actually becomes the FM7 chord, but for simplicity's sake I just called it F
Note that **not hitting the top F note (1st fret on top E string) is crucial** in my
anyway. For the little interludes (and the lalala part at the end), playing C with the
low E string and the F with the thumb on the first fret is essential. (I like to put the
on the lower, bass notes in those sections, not so much the top E and B strings.) But
much anywhere else, you can play CaddG (010233) instead of the C I listed
Likewise, I often play the G chord as (0)30023. It just depends on what you think goes
or what your preferences are. As I said, these are just guidelines, since this is an
Feel free to go your own way with it. I'm just speaking from experience, and this song,
way I've tabbed it for the acoustic guitar, is very pretty and gets a warm response.
Questions, email.
schm2213@umn.edu
