***************
Josephine Baker
(Al Stewart)
***************  

First version:

I've played this song a few times...I don't recall what key it's in but I'll
write down chords in E:

I was watching TV late last night when a scene transported me
      E           D                      C#m               A
Long gone figures came back to life In a documentary
E                      D                 C#m      A
Though I saw them dance for joy I was sad I missed that show
B                 E         C#m       F#m   (B6)          E
If I had a time machine I know just where I'd go
E          D              C#m                 Am6

I was born too late to see Josephine Baker Dancing in a Paris cabaret
(B7)  E                    D               A            F#m? AM7? 
   [don't have a clear memory of that last chord, could also be A/B]
Born too late to see Josephine Baker She must have been great in her
E                    D                   A                       [same ?]
heyday
E   D  C#m  A  

(other verses same)  

The questionable chords in the chorus could be any sort of subdominant
substitution...I'd have to listen to the recording (which I don't have here)
to be sure of the exact voicing used. 

Blake Hodgetts <BHodgetts@symantec.com>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second version:

Josephine Baker is one of those songs that's hard to describe in chords
because it's based on a run that works on a guitar. Put a capo on the
third fret, and play it in D (and you should be in tune with the LDotC
and RiR versions if your guitar is at the proper pitch). The basic chord
sequence D ->D7->D6->D/Gm is played with D striking the open 4th string,
D7 starting with the 3rd fret of the 5th string, D6 starting with the 2nd
fret of the 5th string and the D/Gm starting with the 1st fret of the 5th
string. In order to do this, you have to take fingers away from the
starting D so the D7 has the 1st string open, the D6 and D/Gm have the
3rd string open. The 2nd string,  3rd fret stays fretted throughout. The
whole thing is played in a kind of flat-picking style. Sorry to bore the
non-guitar folks here. If I had the equipment, I'd post a video clip. We
need Frederick Noad plays Al Stewart.

***************
Josephine Baker
(Al Stewart)
***************

I was [D] watching TV [D7] late last night when a [D6] scene transported
[D/Gm] me.  [D] Long gone figures came [D7] back to life in a [D6]
documentar [D/Gm] y.  [A] Though I saw them [D] dance for joy I was [G]
sad I missed that [D] show.  [D] If I had a [D7] time machine I [D6] know
just where I'd [D/Gm] go. 
(The chorus chords can be played with normal fingering from the G
onwards.  
I was [D]born too late to see [D7] Josephine Baker [G] dancing in a Paris
[Gm] Caberet [D]Born too late to see [D7]Josephine Baker she [G]must have
been great in her [Gm] heyday. 

Now take that capo off and play along with the Beatles' "Dear Prudence"! 
Well nearly....

Phil Wilson
alstewart2@juno.com (Phil D Wilson)