Leaving on a Jet Plane
John Denver

John Denver
Rhymes and Reasons
1969
John does some wonderful stuff on his 12-string for
this song, and I wish I could do it justice but I
can't.  I hope you enjoy the tab anyway.  This song
was popularized by Peter, Paul, and Mary, but the
best version is, of course, John's.

Lyrics
Chords


Three guitars:
GUITAR 1: 12-string GUITAR 2: 6-string GUITAR 3: 6-string
INTRO: GUITAR 1 plays tab below GUITAR 2 tacet GUITAR 3 tacet D D7sus4 + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-3-2-------0-----|-----------------|-2-------3-------| B:-------3-------3-|---0---1-------3-|-------1---1-----| G:-----2-------2---|-----------2-----|-----2---------2-| D:---------0-------|-0---0---0---0---|---0---------0---| A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| all my D7 D7sus2 + + + + + + + + + + + e:-3-------2-------|-2-------0-------|-0-------0---| B:---1-------1-----|---1-------1-----|---1---------| G:-------2-------2-|-------2-------2-|-------2-----| D:-----0-------0---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------| A:-----------------|-----------------|-------------| E:-----------------|-----------------|-------------| 3/4
The verse looks like this: GUITAR 1 plays tab below GUITAR 2 tacet GUITAR 3 tacet bags are packed...ready to go I'm standin' here outside your door G C G C + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-------3---------|-------0---------|-------3---------|-------0---------| B:-----3---------3-|-----1---------1-|-----3---------3-|-----1---------1-| G:---0---------0---|---0---------0---|---0---------0---|---0---------0---| D:-----------0-----|-----------2-----|-----------0-----|-----------2-----| A:-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-3-------3-------| E:-3-------3-------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------| I hate to wake you up to say goodbye G C D Dsus4 D + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-------3---------|-------0---------|-------2-------3-|-------2---------| B:-----3---------3-|-----1---------1-|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---| G:---0---------0---|---0---------0---|---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----| D:-----------0-----|-----------2-----|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------| A:-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------| E:-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------2-|
Here's the pre-chorus: GUITAR 1 plays verse tab GUITAR 2 plays tab below GUITAR 3 arpeggiates each chord once per measure so kiss me and smile for me tell me that you'll wait for me G C G C + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-----3-----------|-----0-----------|-----3-----------|-----0-----------| B:-----3-----3-----|-----1-----1-----|-----3-----3-----|-----1-----1-----| G:---0---------0---|---0---------0---|---0---------0---|---0---------0---| D:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| A:-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-3---------------| E:-3---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------| hold me like you'll never let me go cause I'm G C D + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-----3-----------|-----0-----------|-----2h3-----2h3-|-----2h3-2---2-2-| B:-----3-----3-----|-----1-----1-----|-----3-------3---|-----3---3---3-3-| G:---0---------0---|---0---------0---|-----2-------2---|-----2---2---2-2-| D:-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0---0-0-| A:-----------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------| E:-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
The chorus sounds like this: GUITAR 1 plays verse tab GUITAR 2 plays pre-chorus tab GUITAR 3 plays tab below leavin' on a jet plane don't know when I'll be back again G C G C + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-----3-3-----3-3-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----3-3-----3-3-|-----0-0-----0-0-| B:-----3-3-----3-3-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----3-3-----3-3-|-----1-1-----1-1-| G:-----0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-| D:-----0-0-----0-0-|-----------------|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----------------| A:-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-3-------3-------| E:-3-------3-------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------| oh babe I hate to go G C D + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-----3-3-----3-3-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----2-3-----2-3-|-----2-3-----2-3-| B:-----3-3-----3-3-|-----1-1-----1-1-|-----3-3-----3-3-|-----3-3-----3-3-| G:-----0-0-----0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2-----2-2-| D:-----0-0-----0-0-|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------| A:-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------| E:-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| + + + + + + + + e:-----2-3-----2-3-|-----2-3----^2---| B:-----3-3-----3-3-|-----3-3----^3---| G:-----2-2-----2-2-|-----2-2----^2---| D:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------| A:-----------------|-----------------| E:-----------------|-----------------|
This is the ending: GUITAR 1 plays tab GUITAR 2 tacet until G chord GUITAR 3 tacet until G chord go___________________________________________________ D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Dsus3 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:-------2-------3-|-------3-------2-|-------2-------0-|-------2-------3-| B:-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---| G:---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----|---2-------2-----| D:-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------| A:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| E:-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| D Dsus2 D7 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + e:---2-------0-----|-----------------|-^3---------------|-----------------| B:-------3-------3-|---0---1-----1---|-^3---------------|-----------------| G:-----------------|-----------2---2-|-^0---------------|-----------------| D:-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0-------|-^0---------------|-----------------| A:-----------------|-----------------|-^2---------------|-----------------| E:-----------------|-----------------|-^3---------------|-----------------|
LYRICS:
play intro All my bags are packed and ready to go I'm standin' here outside your door I hate to wake you up to say goodbye But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn' The taxi's waitin' he's blown his horn Already I'm so lonesome I could die
PRE-CHORUS So kiss me and smile for me Tell me that you'll wait for me Hold me like you'll never let me go CHORUS Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane Don't know when I'll be back again Oh babe I hate to go
There's so many times I let you down So many times I've played around I tell you now they don't mean a thing Every place I go I'll think of you Every song I sing I'll sing for you When I come back I'll bring your wedding ring
PRE-CHORUS CHORUS
Now the time has come to leave you One more time let me kiss you Close your eyes I'll be on my way Dream about the days to come When I won't have to leave alone About the times I won't have to say
PRE-CHORUS CHORUS 2x play ending

CHORDS:
Dsus4 xx0233 Dsus2 xx0230 D7 xx0212 For other chords, go to my
key to chords. To learn why these chords are named this way, check Dansm's Guitar Chord Theory.

Created on 12-12-97 by Daniel E. Smith.