This Flight Tonight Chords & Tabs
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: Howard Wright (Hman)
This Flight Tonight - Joni Mitchell
-----------------------------------------------
From the album 'Blue'
Tabbed by Howard Wright
H.Wright@uk.ac.cf.astro
The tuning for this is based on an open G ( DGDGBD ) but with the
bottom string tuned right down to a very low, flappy G, so the
actual tuning is GGDGBD.
I think you also need a capo at the 2nd fret.
In case you have trouble getting tuned up when you use alternative
tunings, here's an easy way to get there.
Joni herself uses this notation - she writes normal tuning as :
E 5 5 5 4 5
i.e tune bottom string to an E, then play 5th fret and tune next
string to this, 5th fret, 5th fret, 4th fret, 5th fret.
Get the idea ?
So the tuning for this song is :
G 12 7 5 4 3
(I find it easiest to tune the A down to a G, then the top E to a D
- you can check these by comparing with the other D and G strings,
then tune the low E all the way down to G - check with what used to
be the A string, but is now a G.)
I've written out the chord shapes at the end - you might find it
easier or quicker to learn the song from these if you know the song
pretty well already. If you're not so sure about strumming etc, I've
tried to give the outline in the TAB.
Note - words are written below the TAB, chords above.
INTRO :
--------
Gsus4 Gm11
------------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3--
B-----------3--3-3--------3-3-------------1--1-1--------1-1--
G-----------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3--
D---0--0----0-------------0-0---0-0-0-0---0-------------0-0--
G---0--0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0--0-0--
G---0--0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0--0-0--
Gsus4 Gm11
D-------------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3-
B-------------3--3-3--------3-3-------------1--1-1--------1-1-
G-------------5--5-5--------5-5-------------3--3-3--------3-3-
D--0-0-0-0----0-------------0-0---0-0-0-0---0-------------0-0-
G--0-0-0-0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0------
G--0-0-0-0------------0-0---------0-0-0-0------------0-0------
VERSE :
-------
Gsus4 Gm11
D--5----------5----------3-------3-------------------------
B--3----------3----------1-------1-------------------------
G--5----------5----------3-------3-------------------------
D--0----------0----------0-------0-------------------------
G--0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0-------------------------
G--0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0-------------------------
Look out the left the captain said
G5 G7sus4
D---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0--------------------
B---3-3---3---3------------1-1---1--1--1--------------------
G---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0--------------------
D---5-5---5---5------------3-3---3--3--3--------------------
G---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0--------------------
G---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0--------------------
The lights down there, that's where we'll land
G C G C
D--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5----------------------
B--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5----------------------
G--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5----------------------
D--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5----------------------
G--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5----------------------
G--0-0-0--/5---5-5----0-0-0---/5---5-5----------------------
I saw a fallin' star burn up
G C G C G C/G G
D---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0----
B---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-1---1---0----0-0-1-0-1----
G---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0----
D---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-2---2---0----0-0-2-0-2----
G---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0----
G---0-0--/5--0--/5-5----0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0-0-0-0----
'bove the Las Vegas sand
G C/G G
D--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0---------------
B--0--0-0---1---1---1----0-0--------------
G--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0---------------
D--0--0-0---2---2---2----0-0---------------
G--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0----------------
G--0--0-0---0---0---0----0-0---------------
Gsus4 Gm11
D----5----------5----------3-------3------------------------
B----3----------3----------1-------1------------------------
G----5----------5----------3-------3------------------------
D----0----------0----------0-------0------------------------
G----0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0------------------------
G----0----0--0--0-----0-0--0---0-0-0------------------------
It wasn't the one that you gave to me
G5 G7sus4
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/m/mitchell_joni/this_flight_tonight_tab.html ]
D---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0---------------------
B---3-3---3---3------------1-1---1--1--1---------------------
G---0-0---0---0------------0-0---0--0--0---------------------
D---5-5---5---5------------3-3---3--3--3---------------------
G---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0---------------------
G---0-0-0-0---0-----0--0---0-0-0-0--0--0---------------------
That night down south between the trailers
G C G C
D--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5--------------------
B--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5--------------------
G--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5--------------------
D--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5--------------------
G--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5--------------------
G--0-0-0--/5---5-5-----0-0-0---/5---5-5--------------------
Not the early one that you can wish upon
G C G C G C/G G
D---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0--
B---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-1---1---0----0-0--
G---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0--
D---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-2---2---0----0-0--
G---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0--
G---0-0--/5--5--0--/5-5-5------0--0-0---0-0---0---0----0-0--
Not the northern one that guides in the sailors
CHORUS :
--------
Gmaj7 AmaddD/G G C/G
D----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2-----0-----0--0--0--------------
B----/3---3--3---------1-1-1-1-----0h1---1--1--1--------------
G----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2-----0-----0--0--0--------------
D----0----0--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0-----0h2---2--2--2--------------
G---------------0-0-0--------------0-----0--0--0--------------
G---------------0-0-0--------------0--------0--0--------------
Oh starlight star bright you got the loving
C/G G
D----0---0------0---------------------------------------------
B----1---1------0---------------------------------------------
G----0---0------0---------------------------------------------
D----2---2------0---------------------------------------------
G----0---0------0---------------------------------------------
G----0---0------0---------------------------------------------
that I like alright
Gmaj7 AmaddD/G G C/G
D----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2--------0-----0--0--0--------
B----/3---3--3---------1-1-1-1--------0h1---1--1--1--------
G----/4---4--4---------2-2-2-2--------0-----0--0--0--------
D----0----0--0--0-0-0--0-0-0-0--------0h2---2--2--2--------
G---------------0-0-0-----------------0-----0--0--0--------
G---------------0-0-0-----------------0--------0--0--------
Turn this crazy bird around I shouldn't
C/G G C/G
D---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0-----------------------
B---1--1------0--0--0---0-----0-1---1-----------------------
G---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0-----------------------
D---2--2------0--0--0---0-----0-2---2-----------------------
G---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0-----------------------
G---0--0------0--0--0---0-----0-0---0-----------------------
have got on this flight tonight
G* Gsus4/2 G C/G G
D--0---0--0--0-----0---0---0--0----0-0--0--0--------------
B--/3--3--3--3-----1---0---1--1----1-1--0--0--------------
G--/4--4--4--4-----2---0---0--0----0-0--0--0--------------
D--0---0--0--0-----0---0---2--2----2-2--0--0--------------
G--0-------------------0---0--0----0-0--0--0--------------
G--0-------------------0---0--0----0-0--0--0--------------
G C/G G* Gsus4/2 G C/G G
D--0--0--0--0--0-0----0---0--0--0-----0---0---0---0---------
B--0--0--0--1--1-1----/3--3--3--3-----1---0---1---0---------
G--0--0--0--0--0-0----/4--4--4--4-----2---0---0---0---------
D--0--0--0--2--2-2----0---0--0--0-----0---0---2---0---------
G--0--0--0--0--0-0----0-------------------0---0---0---------
G--0--0--0--0--0-0----0-------------------0---0---0---------
Verse 2:
--------
You got the touch so gentle and sweet
But you've got that look so critical
Now I can't talk to you baby
I get so weak
Sometimes I think love is just mythical
Up there's a heaven
Down there's a town
Blackness everywhere and little lights shine
Blackness, blackness dragging me down
Come on light the candle in this poor heart of mine
Chorus
Verse 3:
---------
I'm drinking sweet champagne
Got the headphones up high
Can't numb you out can't drum you out of my mind
They're playing "Goodbye baby, baby goodbye,
Ooh love is blind"
Up go the flaps
Down go the wheels
I hope you got your heat turned on baby
I hope they finally fixed your automobile
Hope it's better when we meet again baby
Chorus
Chord Shapes :
GGDGBD GGDGBD GGDGBD GGDGBG GGDGBG GGDGBG
000535 000313 005030 003010 000000 555555
Gsus4 Gm11 G5 G7sus4 G C
GGDGBD GGDGBD GGDGBD GGDGBG GGDGBG
002010 000434 000212 000430 000210
C/G Gmaj7 AmaddD/G G* Gsus4add2
