Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi

this version of the song has appeared elsewhere on the internet , i’ve just posted it
here so the correct version as the artist plays it is on ug .

i play it in open D tuning with a capo on 2 . muffling the bar a and B chords in the
intro and first verse help give the rhythm to the song . listen to the song and you’ll figure
it out : )

chord shapes : all chords relative to capo
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

E A B [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 A6 B6 E5 Emaj7
D – – – 0 – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – – 0 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A – – – 0 – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – – 0 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
F# – – 0 – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – 1 – – – – – – – – – – 1 – – – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – – 3 – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
D – – – 0 – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – – 0 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A – – – 0 – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – 7 – – – – 9 – – – – – 5 – – – – 4 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
D – – – 0 – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – 0 – – – – – – 5 – – – – 7 – – – – – 0 – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

intro :
– – – – – – –

A A6 A A6 A B B6 B B6 B

E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ]
E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E

verse :
– – – – – – – –

A A6 A E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ]
they paved paradise and put up a parking lot

E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E

A A6 B B6
with a pink hotel , a boutique and a swingin’

E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E
hot spot

chorus :
– – – – – – –

E5 Emaj7
don’t it always seem to go

[ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] 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 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E
( shoo bop bop bop bop

E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] 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 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E
( shoo bop bop bop bop

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

E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E7sus4 [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E [ ch ] Aadd2/E [ /Ch ] E