Jesse chords

by Janis Ian

Song Key: C Major

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: 84-86 bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Intermediate

Guitar Chords: C, Cadd9, Dm, Dm7/C, E7, G, G7, G/B, Gm/Bb, A7, Asus4

Arrangement Song Details
Play-Along Video
R-H Chord Charts Chord Chart Legend
Cadd9 G/B Gm/Bb Asus4 A7 Dm Dm7/C G7 G Major C Major E7
L-H Chord Charts Lefties Chord Chart Legend
Cadd9-LH G/B-LH Gm/Bb-LH Asus4-LH A7-LH Dm-LH Dm7/C-LH G7-LH G Major-LH C Major-LH E7-LH
Speed: x0.1

Jesse

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
             Cadd9       G/B       Gm/Bb       Asus4   A7   G
Intro: 3/4 |       | % |     | % |       | % |       |    |   | % | % | % |

   Cadd9                       G/B
1. Jes-se come home, there's a hole in the bed
            Gm/Bb                   Asus4    A7
   Where we slept now it's grow-ing cold   |    (Hey)|
       Dm                       Dm7/C
   Hey Jes-se, your face in the place where we lay
          G7                    C           E7
   By the hearth, all a-part it hangs on my heart
           A7                        Dm
   And I'm leav-ing the light on the stairs
              G7                  C     A7
   No I'm not scared - I wait for you |    (Hey)|
       Dm          G7            Cadd9
   Hey Jes-se, I'm lone-ly, come home.  |   %    |

   Cadd9                      G/B
2. Jes-se, the floors and the boards
                    Gm/Bb                   Asus4  A7   
   Re-call-ing your steps, and I re-mem-ber too  |    (All the)|
           Dm                        Dm7/C
   All the pic-tures are fad-ing and shad-ed in grey,
         G7                       C         E7
   But I still set a place on the ta-ble at noon
           A7                      Dm
   And I'm leav-ing a light on the stairs
              G7                  C    A7
   No I'm not scared - I wait for you |    (Hey)|
       Dm          G7            Cadd9
   Hey Jes-se, I'm lone-ly, come home  |   %    |

         G/B        Gm/Bb       Asus4    A7    G         G         G
Instr:‖      | % |        | % |       |     |     | % |     | % ‖     ‖


   Cadd9                     G/B
3. Jes-se, the spread on the bed
                    Gm/Bb                     Asus4   A7
   Is like when you left, I've kept it up for you   |    (And all the)|
               Dm                             Dm7/C
   And all the blues and the greens have been re-cent-ly cleaned, 
            G7                  C           E7
   And it's seem-ing-ly new Hey Jes, me and you
         A7                        Dm
   We'll swal-low the light on the stairs
                  G7                   C     A7
   We'll do up my hair, and sleep un-a-ware |    (Hey)|
       Dm          G7            Cadd9    A7     Dm     G7     C
   Hey Jes-se, I'm lone-ly, come home  |      |      |      |  𝄑  |

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: C Major – 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab)
  • Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Moderately
  • Metronome: ♩ = 85
  • Voice Range: G4 – Bb5
  • Guitarists: The transition from Cadd9 – G/B – Gm/Bb is very easy... see charts.

Song Details:

Stars Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Songwriter: Janis Ian
  • Lyrics Begin: Jesse come home, there's a hole in the bed,
  • Genre: Folk
  • Featured Artist: Janis Ian
  • Album: Stars
    Recorded: March 1972 – 1973
    Released: February 1, 1974
  • 2 Grammy Awards:
    1975 - At Seventeen (single from her 1975 album - Between The Lines)
    2013 - Best Spoken Word Album (her autobiography - Society's Child)
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