Sail Away-Sonny and Brownie
This is off an album Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee did together appropriately called
and Brownie." It's a cover of a Randy Newman song and sounds good on solo acoustic.
F Dmin G7
In America you'll get plenty food to eat
A C
Won't have to run through the jungle
(Bb) F
And scuff up your feet
F Dmin
You'll just sing about Jesus
G7
And drink wine all day
C (Bb)
It's gonna be great
F F
To be an American
F Dmin
Ain't no lions or tigers
G7
Ain't no mamba snake
C
Just the sweet watermelon
F
And the buckwheat cake
F Dmin
Everybody is happy
G7
As a man can be
C (Bb)
Climb aboard little children
F
Sail away with me
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/sonny_terry/sail_away_crd.html ]
Chorus
F
Sail Away
A#
Sail Away
F Dmin G C
We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
F
Sail Away
Bb
Sail Away
F Dmin G Bb F
We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
Note: You can play that last Bb as a C also.
Verse:
In America
Every man is free
To take care of his home
and his family
You'll be happy as a monkey
in a monkey tree
Be American
Sail away with me
Chorus x 2
When it says (Bb) that means that chord is optional. The song also sounds closer to the
if you play the "A#'s" as barre chords at the 6th fret and you play the Bb's as barre
at the 1st fret. I realize that's kind of confusing, so just play it however's comfortable.
Also this sounds pretty close to the Randy Newman version, so if you like that one
try and play around with the chords to get it.
Here's the link to Sonny Terry's web site- http://www.sonnyterry.com/
