Borderline

Song

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#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #

#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #

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Here's a song I fell in love with when I first heard it on Turbulent Indigo. I learned the chords from

Joni's fingers on the PBS documentary on Troubadours of Folk Festival, where she first introduced the song.

is very classic Joni melody writing, on a par with Both Sides Now in its folk simplicity. The chords are not that exotic or jazzy, but there's a fluidity to the chord changes that really heightens the emotions of

lyrics - a Joni trademark!

As before, I have not included the right-hand fingering - it's best left to the individual player to flesh

Select a tuning that best suits your voice (the fingering is the same for all three):

Tuning on Turbulent Indigo album: BF#BD#F#B (my guitar goes dead this low!)

Tuning on live performance: CGCEGC

Also can be played in DADF#AD

4/4

Borderline - Words & Music by Joni Mitchell

|---0---------------------|---0---------------------|--0---------------------|
|---0---------------------|---0---------------------|--0---------------------|
|---5---------------------|---1---------------------|--5---------------------|
|---5---------------------|---2---------------------|--5---------------------|
|---5---------------------|---2---------------------|--5---------------------|
|---5---------------------|---2---------------------|--5---------------------|
|---0----------------------|-5-----------5-----------|---5-----------5--------|
|---0----------------------|-5-----------5-----------|---5-----------5--------|
|---1----------------------|-5-----------6-----------|---5-----------6--------|
|---2----------------------|-5-----------5-----------|---5-----------5--------|
|---2----------------------|-5-----------7-----------|---5-----------7--------|
|---2----------------------|-5-----------5-----------|---5-----------5--------|

Every - body looks so ill at ease

so distrustful so dis-

|--5----------------5-----|------0-----------------|--0-----------0---------|
|--5----------------5-----|------0-----------------|-12----------13---------|
|--5----------------6-----|------6-----------------|-12----------13---------|
|--5----------------5-----|------0-----------------|-12----------13---------|
|--5----------------7-----|------7-----------------|-12----------13---------|
|--5----------------5-----|------0-----------------|--0-----------0---------|

pleased. Running down this table, I see a borderline. Like a

barbed-wire

|--0------------0---------|---0------------0--------|---0----------------------|
|-12-----------13---------|--12----------13--------|----0----------------------|
|-12-----------13---------|--12----------13--------|----8----------------------|
|-12-----------13---------|--12----------13--------|----9----------------------|
|-12-----------13---------|--12----------13--------|----9----------------------|
|--0------------0---------|---0------------0--------|----9---------------------|

fence strung tight, strung tense, prickling with pretence,

a borderline.

(slur):

|--7--------------7-------|--7-----------7---7-----|--7------------7----------|
|--7--------------7-------|--7-----------7---7-----|--7------------7----------|
|--7--------------8-------|--7-----------8---7-----|--7------------8----------|
|--7--------------7-------|--7-----------7---7-----|--7------------7----------|
|--7--------------9-------|--7-----------9---7-----|--7------------9----------|
|--7--------------7-------|--7-----------7---7-----|--7------------7----------|

Why are you smirking at your friend?

this to be the night

|--0----------------------|---5--------5-----------|--5---------5-----------|
|--0----------------------|---5--------5-----------|--5---------5-----------|
|--8----------------------|---5--------6-----------|--5---------6-----------|
|--9----------------------|---5--------5-----------|--5---------5-----------|
|--9----------------------|---5--------7-----------|--5---------7-----------|
|--9----------------------|---5--------5-----------|--5---------5-----------|

when all well-wishing ends? All credibility re - voked?

Thin skin, thick

|---5---------5--------------|----0-----------0------| etc. for remaining verses
|---5---------5--------------|----0-----------0------|
|---5---------6--------------|----6-----------5------|
|---5---------5--------------|----0-----------5------|
|---5---------7--------------|----7-----------5------|
|---5---------5--------------|----0-----------5------|

jokes! Can we blame it on the smoke, this sudden border - line?