“Blonde in the Bleachers”
by Joni Mitchell
Tabbed by Robin Young
paperthinxhymn@gmail.com

Chords:
A:       X02220
(A:       X0222X E/A – A changes)
(A:       X0XX20 Bm/A, after quick E/A – A changes)
A/D:     XX0220
Am:      X02210
Am/D:    XX0210
Am7:     X02010
Am7:     X05550 Bm/A:    X0X43X
Bm:      X24432 Bm7:     X24232 Bm7/E:   024232 C:       X32010
Cmaj7/F: 13300X D:       XX0232
Dmaj7/G: 3X022X
D/C:     X3023X
Dsus2:   XX0230
E:       022100
E/A:     X02100
(E/A:     X0210X E/A – A changes)
Emaj7:   02110X
Em7sus2: 0X4430
Esus4:   022200
E6sus4:  022220
F:       13321X
Fmaj7:   133210 F#m/B:   X42222 F#m7:    242222 G:       32003X

Chords in (parentheses) are optional—just slight variations with muting on the
regular chord that you only need if you’re being a perfectionist. Sound-wise, it
shouldn’t make much of a difference.


Intro: Am/D – Am7 – Fmaj7 – Dmaj7/G – G – Dmaj7/G – G

    Am/D                         Am7
The blonde in the bleachers, she flips her hair for you,
  Fmaj7                      Dmaj7/G    G      Dmaj7/G   G
A-bove  the loudspeakers you start   to fall.

    Bm          F#m/B          A             E/A
She follows you home,  but you miss livin’ a-lone
        F#m7                       Bm7     E    Esus4
You can still hear sweet mysteries     cal-ling you.
    C                      D/C              C
The bands and the roadies, lo- vin’ ‘em and lea- vin’ ‘em
      Emaj7             E6sus4           Cmaj7/F            F            A/D
It’s        pleasure to try    ‘em, it’s         trouble to keep ‘em.

                Am             Em7sus2         A
‘Cause it seems    like you’ve got- - -ta give up
       Em7sus2         Am7           Em          F#m
Such a piece   of your soul when you give up the chase.
               Dsus2     D                    Bm
Feeling it hot       and cold, you’re in rock ‘n’ roll,
         Esus4             A     E/A – A – E/A - A
It’s the na- - ture of the race.

Bm/A  A          Dsus2       D                   Bm
        It’s the un- - known child, so sweet and wild,
     Esus4           A              E/A – A – E/A - A
It’s youth, it’s too good to waste.

E/A – Am/D – Am7 – Fmaj7
Dmaj7/G – G – Dmaj7/G – G – Cmaj7/F – F

Fmaj7       D            Bm7          Bm7/E          A      E/A
        She tapes her re-grets to the mi- - crophone stand

A                      Dsus2          Bm7
        She says, “You can’t hold the hand of a
Bm7/E          A      E/A  A
rock  ‘n’ roll man ve-ry   long,
   Dsus2         Bm7
Or count on your plans with a
Bm7/E          A      E/A  A
rock  ‘n’ roll man ve-ry   long,
    Dsus2          Bm7
Com-pete  with the fans for your
Bm7/E          A           E/A  A
rock  ‘n’ roll man  for ve-ry   long,
    Dsus2         Bm7           Bm7/E           A   Am7
The girls and the bands and the rock  ‘n’ roll      man.”

Ending:
Cmaj7/F – Fmaj7
A7
(saxophone interlude)
End on A7