Big Yellow Taxi

Originally sent by Harlan Thompson 
Corrections/additions by Howard Wright (Howard@jmdl.com)

Howard's notes:

This song is played in the key of E. You can tune up to open E 
(EBEG#BE) and not use a capo if you like, but that means you are 
tuning strings *up* from concert pitch which is likely to put 
them under extra strain. If you're using light strings, this might 
be OK. 

The safer option, and the thing to do if you're worried about 
breaking strings when tuning up to the open E tuning, is to tune 
to open D (DADF#AD) then put a capo on at the 2nd fret to bring 
you up to the key of E.

All chord shapes given at the end.

Intro :
-------

A  A6  A  A6  A  B  B6  B  B6  B 

E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E  Aadd2/E  E  Aadd2/E  
E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E  Aadd2/E  E

Verse :
--------

       A         A6      A               E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E 
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

E  Aadd2/E  E

         A    A6        B            B6        
With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swingin' 

E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E  Aadd2/E  E
 hot         spot


CHORUS:
-------

 E5             Emaj7
Don't it always seem to go

          Aadd2/E                              E
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone

       A        A6       B        B6       E
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E                   
(Shoo                         bop bop bop bop


E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E
Shoo                        bop bop bop bop)



(Same chords for the following verses/choruses)

They took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half just to see 'em
CHORUS

Hey farmer farmer, put away that D.D.T. now
Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees
please
CHORUS

Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man
CHORUS TWICE (with only one shooo bop... at each end)

       A        A6       B        B6      E
They paved paradise,   put up a parking lot


E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E                   
(Shoo                         bop bop bop bop


       A        A6       B        B6    E
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot


E  Aadd2/E  E7sus4  Aadd2/E  E  Aadd2/E  E                  




Chord Shapes :
---------------

    E    A    B  Aadd2/E   E7sus4   A6    B6   E5   Emaj7
E---0----5----7----0----------0------5----7-----0----0---------------
B---0----5----7----0----------0------5----7-----0----0---------------
G#--0----5----7----1----------1------5----7-----3----3---------------
E---0----5----7----0----------0------5----7-----0----0---------------
B---0----5----7----2----------3------7----9-----5----4---------------
E---0----5----7----0----------0------5----7-----0----0---------------


Harlan's comments:

On the first two lines of the chorus and frequently on the verse, it is 
better to somewhat muffle the chords so that the rhythm can be heard but 
the actual notes barely heard.  Also, the song can be played in regular 
tuning with the same chords, but I think it sounds much better this way 
(and this is what J.M. actually does).