California Gurls | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Am Bb | C Dm7 :||
Greetings loved ones, let’s take a journey.
Verse 1
||: Am Bb | C Dm7 :||
I know a place where the grass is really greener.
Warm, wet n’ wild, there must be something in the water.
Sippin’ gin and juice, laying underneath the palm trees (undone).
The boys break their necks, try’na creep a little sneak peek (at us).
Bridge 1
||: C | Dm | Bb | Bb :||
You could travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast.
Once you party with us, you’ll be falling in love, ooh oh ooh oh oh ooh.
Chorus 1
||: Am Bb | C Dm7 :||
California girls, we’re unforgettable.
Daisy dukes, bikinis on top.
Sun-kissed skin so hot, we’ll melt your popsicle.
Ooh oh ooh oh oh. Oh, ooh oh oh oh oh ooh.
Chorus 2
California girls, we’re undeniable.
Fine, fresh, fierce we got it on lock.
West Coast represent, now put your hands up.
Ooh oh ooh oh oh. Oh, ooh oh oh oh oh ooh.
Verse 2
Sex on the beach, we don’t mind sand in our stilettos.
We freak, in my Jeep, Snoop Doggy-Dog on the stereo, oh oh.
Bridge 2
You could travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast.
Once you party with us, you’ll be falling in love. Ooh oh ooh ooh oh ooh.
Chorus 3
California girls, we’re unforgettable (California).
Daisy dukes, bikinis on top.
Sun-kissed skin so hot, we’ll melt your popsicle.
Ooh oh ooh oh oh. Oh, ooh oh oh oh oh ooh.
Chorus 4
California girls, we’re undeniable (California).
Fine, fresh, fierce we got it on lock.
West Coast represent, now put your hands up (West Coast).
Ooh oh ooh oh oh. Oh, ooh oh oh oh oh ooh.
Breakdown (Rap)
| (Am Bb) | (C Dm7) |
Toned, tan, fit and ready, turn it up ’cause its gettin’ heavy.
| (Am Bb) | N.C |
Wild, wild West Coast, these are the girls I love the most.
Rap
||: Am Bb | C Dm7 :||
I mean the ones, I mean like she’s the one. Kiss her, touch her, squeeze her buns.
The girl’s a freak, she drive a jeep and live on the beach.
I’m okay, I won’t play, I love the bay, just like I love L.A.
Venice Beach and Palm Springs, summertime is everything.
Home boys, bangin’ out. All that ass, hanging out.
Bikinis, zucchinis, martinis, no weenies, just a king and a queenie.
Katy my lady (yeah) and looky here baby (Uh huh).
I’m all up on ya, ’cause you representing California (oh yeah).
Chorus 5
California girls, we’re unforgettable.
Daisy dukes, bikinis on top.
Sun-kissed skin so hot, we’ll melt your popsicle.
Ooh oh ooh oh oh. Oh, ooh oh oh oh oh ooh (come on, come on).
Chorus 6
California girls, we’re undeniable.
Fine, fresh, fierce, we got it on lock.
West Coast represent (West Coast, West Coast). Now put your hands up (hey, ho).
Ooh oh ooh oh oh. Oh, ooh oh oh oh oh ooh.
Outro
||: Am Bb | C Dm7 :|| x4
||: (California) (California girls) :|| (California girls, man, ha ha).
California Gurls Chords: Breaking Down the Catchy Progressions
At first glance, California Gurls may seem simple, but its chord progression is deceptively clever.
The sequence Am – Bb can only occur in one area of the diatonic key, the III – IV movement—unique in its structure. Nowhere else do we find a minor chord followed by a major chord just a semitone above.
This is followed by C – Dm7, which functions as V – VI, creating an upward motion that feels like it could loop endlessly.
The bridge then repurposes three of these four chords, beginning on V:
C – Dm7 – Bb.
And that’s all there is to it. If this sounds too simple, try writing a carefree summer anthem that gets the entire world dancing!
Before you do, it’s best to learn how to play Katy Perry’s California Gurls using the chords and lyrics above—or better yet, the chord chart I’ve put together below.
California Gurls Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
These chords fall into the category of as simple as it gets. The chord chart will likely serve as a quick reference, helping you recall both the chords and the structure of California Gurls.
Here’s a PDF you can download: California Gurls chord chart PDF.
If you prefer the iReal Pro format, here’s that link: California Gurls chord chart iReal Pro.
California Gurls – One of four hits from Teenage Dream!
Katy Perry’s third album Teenage Dream (2010) was extremely successful. Other singles include Firework, Last Friday Night, and the title track Teenage Dream.
Apparently, California Gurls is the fun-loving reply to Alicia Keys’ Empire State Of Mind (about New York), released one year earlier.
With the help of Snoop Dog and Swedish pop producer Max Martin, it reached #1 in both the U.K. and the U.S., as well as the top ten the world over.
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