Josie - Steely Dan
------------------
From the album "Aja"
Transcribed by Andrew Rogers (original file)
and Howard Wright (additions/corrections)
Email: rogers@hi.com
Howard@jmdl.com
This transcription is based on Andrew Rogers' version, which I got
from OLGA (www.olga.net). I haven't changed a lot as his original
transcription was very good, though I have altered some chords and
voicings, and written out more of the chord shapes.
Andrew's original performance notes/comments are included at the bottom
of the file; all other comments are mine.
INTRO:
------
The intro is split between two guitars on the original (one guitar playing
the lower notes, the other playing the high notes), but it works fine on
just one.
(the v characters in the tab below indicate where the quarter note beats are)
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---3-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|-----------------|
|-------6-------3-|---4-------------|-------6-------3-|-----------2-----|
|-2-----4-------1-|---2-------------|-2-----4-------1-|-------4---0-----|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------2---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C/F F#7#9 D/G Fsus2/Ab
v v v v v v v v v v v v
|-----------------|---------5-------|-2-----3---------|
|-----------------|-5---------------|-----------------|
|----2--1-0-----4-|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2----------4----|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
~~~3~~~ ~~~3~~~
(1/4-note triplets)
VERSE 1:
--------
Em7
Em7
We're gonna break out the hats and hooters when Josie comes home
We're gonna rev up the motorscooters
A/D G/C
When Josie comes home to stay
D/G(i) C/F(i)
We're gonna park in the street
Em7
Sleep on the beach and make it
A9 G/C D/G(i) C/F(i)
Throw down the jam 'til the girls say when
Em7 D/G(i) E/A Em7
Lay down the law and break it when Josie comes home
CHORUS 1:
---------
C/F(ii) F#7#9(ii) B7#5 Em7 C/F(ii)
When Josie comes home so good
F#7#9(ii) B7#5 Em7 A9
She's the pride of the neighborhood
Am7 D9 Gmaj7 Cmaj7
She's the raw flame, the live wire
F#7#9 B7#9#5
She prays like a Roman with her eyes on fire
VERSE 2:
--------
Jo would you love to scrapple, she'll never say no
Shine up the battle apple
We'll shake 'em all down tonight
We're gonna mix in the street
Strike at the stroke of midnight
Dance on the bones 'til the girls say when
Pick up what's left by daylight when Josie comes home
CHORUS 2:
---------
When Josie comes home, so bad
She's the best friend we never had
She's the raw flame, the live wire
She prays like a Roman with her eyes on fire
Instrumental break (2:15 - 2:31):
---------------------------------
(no chords)
Guitar is doubled by bass and keyboard:
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
|-5-7-------------|---5------------|-5-7-------------|---5------------|
|-----------5---7-|----------------|-----------5---7-|----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------5-7----|
v v v v v v v v
|-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|
|-5-7-------------|---5------------|
|-----------5---7-|----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|
F#7#9 B7#9#5
GUITAR SOLO:
------------
(Same chords as for verse)
CHORUS
INTRO
OUTRO:
------
Guitar solo over Em7 to fade
Chord shapes:
-------------
N.B The four chords that come at the end of the intro (the first
four chords listed here) are voiced with three notes on the top
three strings and the bass note on the bottom string. This reflects
the chord voicings used on the original, but doesn't give very
guitar-friendly shapes! (On the original, the chords are played
on the keyboard anyway, not the guitar).
If you are playing with another guitarist or bass player, you can
split the chords into two parts (triad + bass note) to make it easier.
All the other chord changes in the song work pretty easily on the guitar,
it's just the intro that is a little tricky.
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
1xx010 2xx355 3xx232 4xx563
C/F F#7#9 D/G Fsus2/Ab
^^^^^^^
You can also add a note on the A string and play this
F#7#9 chord as a barre chord: 24x355
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x7x787 x57655 x35433 8xx787 xx5775
Em7 A/D G/C G/C (alt.) D/G(i)
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
xx3553 x05600 x07454 xx7997
C/F(i) A9 E/A E/A (alternative)
E A D G B E E A D G B E EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
x 8 10 9 8 8 x 9 8 9 10 x 7x788x 5x555x x5455x
C/F(ii) F#7#9(ii) B7#5 Am7 D9
EADGBE EADGBE EADGBE
3x443x x3545x x21233
Gmaj7 Cmaj7 B7#9#5
Andrew's notes:
---------------
On the record, those X/Y chords are almost certainly played as a standard X
chord on guitar, with the bass covering the Y note; the fingerings suggested
above are for anyone who wants to replicate the overall sound of those chords
on a single guitar. And, incidentally, Laura Nyro was using major triads
with the fourth in the bass when Don and Walt were still playing frat parties
at Bard.