China Grove Chords

“China Grove“ is a 1973 song recorded by the American rock band The Doobie Brothers. Written by Tom Johnston, the song was released as a single from the band‘s second studio album The Captain and Me. It peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was their first top 20 hit. The song‘s title refers to a small town near San Antonio, Texas, Johnston‘s hometown. The town was established by Chinese immigrants in the mid–1800s and was located near the Texas–Mexican border.

The song‘s lyrics describe a Chinese immigrant who has come to the U.S. in search of a better life, but finds out that the town is not quite what he expected. Musically, the song features a straightforward rock structure with a driving rhythm guitar and a prominent harmonica solo. The lyrics are delivered in a spoken–word style with a country twang. The song has been described as “a classic example of the Doobie Brothers‘ early style – a mix of country, blues, and rock.”

China Grove Guitar Chords

Intro:  EDAE (repeat 2x), EDA..

E 
When the sun comes up on a sleepy little town

D     A               E 
Down around San Antone

E 
And the folks are risin' for another day

D      A          E 
round about their homes

    C#m                    B (E B) 
The people of the town are strange

            A        A    A#  B C 
and they're proud of where they came,

Chorus:

            E                           D     A 
Well you're talkin' 'bout China Grove 
     (background vocals:  talkin' 'bout China Grove),

        E 
Whoa oh ho...

D   A        E      D   A   E 
Who ho China Grove


Well the preacher and the teacher, Lord, they're a caution

They are the talk of the town

When the gossip hits the fan, they ain't lyin'

when the sun goes fallin' down

Well they say that the father's insane,

and dear Missus Perkins a game,

Chorus


Bridge:

G#m B C#m 
      Well every day there's a new thing comin',

F#m7                    C#m 
The ways of an oriental view.

C#m 
The sheriff and his buddies with their samurai swords,

F#                    F#sus4   F#       G#m B 
you can even hear the music at night.

C#m 
And though it's a part of the Lone Star state

F#m7                     C#m 
The people don't seem to care

A                                       C D E  CDE
They'll just keep on lookin' to the east...

instrumental break(6 sets of E D A E like intro, then verse starting from C#m 
to end)

Chorus

1 measure on  E (end on beat 1)