Steely Dan - Josie

( this is nicked from a tab – tagged version of this very song – ver . 3 )

date : thu , 14 nov 1996 14 : 50 : 36 – 0500
from : andrew rogers
subject : . /s/steely_dan/josie . tab

“josie”
( w . becker – D . fagen )

intro :

v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – 7 – – – 6 – – – – – – – 3 – | – – – 4 – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – 7 – – – 6 – – – – – – – 3 – | – – – – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – 4 – – – – – – – 1 – | – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – 4 – – – – – – – 1 – | – – – – – – – 4 – – – 0 – – – – – |
| – 7 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – 7 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

v v v v
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0 – |
| – – – – 2 – – 1 – 0 – – – – – – – |
| – 2 – – – – – – – – – – 4 – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
~~~3~~~ ~~~3~~~ ( 1/4 – note triplets )

Fmaj7 f#7#9 Gmaj7 G#maj7/6

verse 1 :

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 C/F
we’re gonna park in the street
Em7
sleep on the beach and make it
A7 G/C D/G C/F
throw down the jam ’til the girls say when
Em7 D/G E/A Em7
lay down the law and break it when josie comes home

chorus 1 :

C/F f#7#9 b7#9#5 Em7 C/F
when josie comes home so good
f#7#9 b7#9#5 Em7 A7
she’s the pride of the neighborhood
Am7 D7 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 who’d 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 ) :

play 3x ( guitar is doubled by bass ) :

v v v v v v v v
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – 5 – 7 – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – 5 – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – 5 – – – 7 – | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
| – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – | – – – – – – – – – 5 – 7 – – – – |
^^^ 2nd time only

f#7#9 b7#9#5

( guitar solo over verse chords )

( repeat chorus 1 )

( repeat intro )

outro :

guitar solo over Em7 to fade

chord fingerings :

G#maj7/6 : xx6563
A/D : x57655
b7#9#5 : x21233
C/F : xx3553
D/G : xx5775
E/A : xx7997
f#7#9 : 242355
G/C : x35433

( on the record , those x/y chords are almost certainly played as a standard
xchord 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 . )