Jun102021

The Beach Boys – Big Sur Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

KeyKeyCapo

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[Intro]
C          Em        Am

[Verse 1]
C        Em                Am  C
Cashmere hills filled with evergreens
        C        Em
Flowin' from the clouds
        Am       C
down to meet the sea
         Dm                     G
With the granite cliff (Big Sur mount)
         C          Em    Am     C
as a referee (dodododo, dodododo do)

[Verse 2]
C       Em          Am     C
Crimson sunsets and golden dawns,
  C      Em            Am      C
a mother deer with her newborn fawns
          Dm
All under Big Sur skies
         G
(Big Sur mount)
                 C
That's where I belong
     Em      Am    C
(dodododo, dododododo)

[Bridge]
F                 C
Big Sur, I've got plans for you
C      Em       Am    C
Me and mine are going to
C      Em             Am   C
Add ourselves to your lengthy
        Dm              G
list of lovers (Big Sur mount)

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[Verse 3]
            C       Em
And live in canyons covered
   Am         C
in springtime green
     C         Em
Wild birds and flowers
      Am        C
to be heard and seen
            Dm
And with my old guitar
         G
(Big Sur mount)
                      C
I'll make up songs to sing
       Em    Am    C
(dodododo, dododododo)

[Verse 4]
      C        Em
Where bubbling springs
         Am      C
from the mountainside
         C       Em
Join the Big Sur river
       Am   C
to the oceanside
          Dm
Where the kids can look
         G
(Big Sur mount)
                      C
For sea shells at low tide
       Em    Am    C
(dodododo, dododododo)

[Bridge]
F           C
Big Sur my astrology,
   C         Em   Am      C
it says that I am made to be
C         Em     Am       C
Where the rugged mountain meets
    Dm             G
the water (Big Sur mount)

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Verse 5]
             C           Em
And so while stars shine brightly
     Am  C
from up above
    C         Em
The fog rolls in through
  Am      C
a redwood grove
          Dm
And to my dying fire
         G
(Big Sur mount)
                   C
I think I'll add a log
       Em    Am    C
(dodododo, dododododo)

[Outro]
     C       Em          Am  C
From time to time I must go away
    C           Em
The thoughts of Big Sur
      Am     C
won't let me stay
          C
Away from Big Sur
   Em      Am      C       N.C.
(dodododo, dododododo) Oh, Big Sur

How to play Big Sur: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Big Sur by The Beach Boys on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Big Sur by The Beach Boys is centred on C major (no sharps or flats). The song uses 6 chords: C, Em, Am, Dm, G and F.

Most of the song cycles through C – Em – Am – C (I – iii – vi – I in C major). In solfa, that is doh – mi – lah – doh. Get these 4 changes smooth and the rest comes quickly.

Beginner-friendly: almost every chord here is an open shape on guitar: no capo, no barre chords needed.