TAB by Song : 280352
Tab List Area
1 Pages 1 Results
Canola Fields by James McMurtry
Canola Fields
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: 1st fret
Key: C
x32033 Cadd9
2x0233 Dsus4/F#
022033 Em7
These chords are derived from listening to the released single, backed up by watching James
play this on his Facebook livestreams whenever things weren't clear. Sometimes I hear the
F# in the bass of the D chords on the album version, sometimes it's just D. He definitely puts
an F# in the bass on the Facebook livestreams, so that's what I've done here.
Either is probably fine.
Figure 1:
e|-------3------3---|
B|-------3------3---|
G|-------0------0---|
D|-------2------2---|
A|-------2------3---|
E|-3--2--0--2-------|
The figure above is what is actually played at the tail end of the first half of each verse, when
the chord changes quickly move between G-Dsus4/F#-Em7/Dsus4/F#-Cadd9. The chords shown are what is
implied harmonically. It sounds okay to play these, but it is better to just hold the Cadd9 shape
and use your index finger to play the bass note movement as shown above. This happens a lot in
this song - hold and ring certain chords, move your index finger to hit the bass notes or throw
in fills, as James does.
[Intro lick]
e|-------3-3----3----------|
B|-------3-3----3----------|
G|-------0-0----0----------|
D|--0h2------2-----2--0h2--|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|
[Verse 1]
Cadd9 G
I was thinking 'bout you, crossing Southern Alberta
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
Canola fields on a July day
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
Are about the same chartreuse as that sixty-nine bug
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
You used to drive around San Jose
Cadd9 G
You never knew where my old white Lincoln might take you
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
Party on wheels with suicide doors
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
Bring the kids and the dogs and your grandma too
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
We always had room for more
[Verse 2]
Cadd9 G
Til that white-knuckle ride back from Santa Cruz
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
Second-best surfer on the central coast
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
Had you wrapped up all the way back to Los Gatos
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
And I could've cut his throat
Cadd9 G
And it wasn't like we were an item to start with
Dsus4/F# Em7
It had no basis in fact
Cadd9 G
But the whiskey could push me to sudden extremes
G Dsus4/F#
I don't want to think about that,
Cadd9 G
I don't want to think about that
[Chorus]
Cadd9 Em7 D
Take my hand Marie
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# G Cadd9
Take a death grip on some part of me
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# Em7
Keep me from drifting far out to sea
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Or I'll be lost out there
[Bridge]
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# Em7
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
[Verse 3]
Cadd9 G
We all filtered away with the days getting shorter
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
Seeking our place in the greater scheme
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# Em7
Kids and careers and a vague sense of order
Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Busting apart at the seams
Cadd9 G
I heard you switched coasts, moved in with your sister
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
I doubt you'd have called it familial bliss
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
We met up in Brooklyn before it went hipster
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
You carried your keys in your fist
Cadd9 G
In a way back corner of a cross-town bus
Dsus4/F# Em7
We were hiding out under my hat
Cadd9 G
Cashing in on a thirty-year crush
G Dsus4/F#
You can't be young and do that
Cadd9 G
You can't be young and do that
[Chorus]
Cadd9 Em7 D
Take my hand Marie
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# G Cadd9
Take a death grip on some part of me
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# Em7
Keep me from drifting far out to sea
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Or I'll be lost out there
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Or I'll be lost out there
[Solo]
Em7 Dsus4/F# G D Cadd9 D
Em7 Dsus4/F# G D Cadd9
Em7 Dsus4/F# G D Cadd9
D D
[Verse 4]
Cadd9 G
I was thinking 'bout you crossing Southern Alberta
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
Canola fields at harvest time
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
Look like tumbleweeds all raked up into rows
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Brown rusty contour lines
Cadd9 G
And there's not much moving on the romance radar
Cadd9 Dsus4/F#
Not that I'm craving it all that much
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F#
But I still need to feel every once in a while
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
The warmth of a smile and a touch
Cadd9 G
In a way back corner of a cross-town bus
Dsus4/F# Em7
We were hiding out under my hat
Cadd9 G
Cashing in on a thirty-year crush
G Dsus4/F#
You can't be young and do that
Dsus4/F# Cadd9 G
You can't be young and do that
G Dsus4/F#
You can't be young and do that
Dsus4/F# Cadd9 G
You can't be young and do that
[Chorus]
Cadd9 Em7 D
Take my hand Marie
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# G Cadd9
Take a death grip on some part of me
Cadd9 G Dsus4/F# Em7
Keep me from drifting far out to sea
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Or I'll be lost out there
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
Or I'll be lost out there
Em7 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
I'll be lost out there
------------------
version 2
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: 1st fret
INTRO:
Em D C
VERSE:
C G
I was thinkin' 'bout you crossin' Southern Alberta
C D
Canola fields on a July day
C G G
'Bout the same chartreuse as that sixty-nine Bug
Em D C
You used to drive around San Jose
VERSE:
C G
Never knew where my old white Lincoln might take you
C D
Party on wheels with suicide doors
C G D
Bring the kids and the dogs and your grandma too
Em D C
We always had room for more
VERSE:
C G
'Til that white knuckle ride back from Santa Cruz
C D
Second best surfer on the central coast
C G D
Had you wrapped up all the way back to Los Gatos
Em D C
And I couldda cut his throat
VERSE:
C G
And I wasn't like we were an item to start with
D Em
It had no basis in fact
C G
But the whiskey could push me to sudden extremes
D
I don't wanna think about that
C G G
I don't wanna think about that
CHORUS:
C Em D D
Take my hand Marie
C G D C
Take a death grip on some part of me
C G D Em
Keep me from driftin' far out to sea
Em D C C
Or I'll be lost out there
INSTRUMENTAL:
C G D Em C G D D
VERSE:
C G
We all filtered away with the days gettin' shorter
C D
Seekin' our place in the greater scheme
C G
Kids and careers and a vague sense of order
Em D C
Bustin' apart at the seams
VERSE:
C G
I heard you switched coasts, moved in with your sister
C D
I doubt she'd'a called it familial bliss
C G
We met up in Brooklyn before it went hipster
Em D C
You carried your keys in your fist
VERSE:
C G
Then away back corner of a cross-town bus
D Em
We were hidin' out under my hat
C G
Cashin' in on a thirty year crush
D
You can't be young and do that
C G G
You can't be young and do that
CHORUS:
C Em D D
Take my hand Marie
C G D C
Take a death grip on some part of me
C G D Em
Keep me from driftin' far out to sea
Em D C C
Or I'll be lost out there
Em D C C
Or I'll be lost out there
INSTRUMENTAL/SOLO:
Em D G D C D
Em D G D C C
Em D G C C D D
VERSE:
C G
I was thinkin' 'bout you crossin' Southern Alberta
C D
Canola fields at harvest time look like
C G
Tumbleweeds all raked up into rows
Em D C C
And brown rusty contour lines
VERSE:
C G
And there's not much movin' on the romance radar
C D
Not that I'm cravin' it all that much
C G
But I still need to feel every once in a while
Em D C C
The warmth of a smile and a touch
VERSE:
C G
Then away back corner of a cross-town bus
D Em
We were hidin' out under my hat
C G
Cashin' in on a thirty year crush
D
You can't be young and do that
C G G
You can't be young and do this
G D
You can't be young and do that
C G G
You can't be young and do this
CHORUS:
C Em D D
Take my hand Marie
C G D C
Take a death grip on some part of me
C G D Em
Keep me from driftin' far out to sea
Em D C C
Or I'll be lost out there
Em D C C
Or I'll be lost out there
Em D C
I'll be lost out there
------------