The Skye Boat Song chords

by The Corries
  • Lyrics to The Skye Boat Song were written by Sir Harold Edwin Boulton, 2nd Baronet, and the music was written to an Air collected by Anne Campbelle McLeod which was first Published in 1884.
  • This version by The Corries is featured on their album - Scottish Love Songs.
  • Music: Key of D Major in 3/4 time at ~ 140 bpm (♩)
  • Chords in D Major: D, Bm, Em, A, A7
  • Capo: 1st fret if playing with the video (Eb Major)
  • We have also included the traditional version in the original published key of G major.
  • Chords in G Major: G, Em, Am, D, D7, C
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
D Major Em Bm Bm A Major A7 D7 Am C Major G Major
D Major Em Bm Bm A Major A7 D7 Am C Major G Major

The Skye Boat Song

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
               D
Intro: 3/4 |      |... x 4

   D                 A              D      G      D      A
‖: Mm... |   𝄎   |       |   𝄎  |      |      |      |      :‖

        D                         A
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing
        D           G        D       A
        On-ward the sail-ors cry. |     |
        D                     A
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        D         G      D        A
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |     |

   D                      A
1. Loud the wind howls    Loud the waves roar
   G                       Bm
   Thun-der-claps rend the air |   𝄎  |
   D                    A
   Baf-fled our foes    Stand by the shore
   G                     Bm      A7
   Fol-low they will not dare |      |

        D                         A
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing
        D           G        D       A
        On-ward the sail-ors cry. |     |
        D                     A
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        D         G      D        A
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |     |

   D                  A
2. Ma-ny's the lad    Fought on that day
   G                      Bm
   Well the clay-more did wield |   𝄎  |
   D                      A
   When the night came    Si-lent-ly lay
   G                  Bm       A7
   Dead on Cul-lo-den field |      |

        D                         A
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing
        D           G        D       A
        On-ward the sail-ors cry. |     |
        D                     A
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        D         G      D        A
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |     |
        
   D                        A
3. Though the waves leap    Soft will he sleep
   G                 Bm
   O-cean's a ro-yal bed |   𝄎  |
   D                     A
   Rocked in the deep    Flo-ra will keep
   G                    Bm      A7
   Watch by your wea-ry head |      |

        D                         A
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing
        D           G        D       A
        On-ward the sail-ors cry. |     |
        D                     A
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        D         G      D        A
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |     |        
 
         D                 A              G
Outro: | Mm... |   𝄎   |       |   𝄎  |      |   𝄎  |   𝄎  |   𝄎  |  

         D                 A              G             D
Outro: | Mm... |   𝄎   |       |   𝄎  |      |   𝄎  |      |   𝄎  | 

The Skye Boat Song - Traditional (G major)

        G             Em          Am          D7
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing,
        G            C        G       D7
        On-ward, the sail-ors cry. |      |
        G          Em         Am         D7
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        G         C      G
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |  𝄎  |

    Em                   Am
 1. Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
    Em             C        Em     D
    Thun-der-claps rend the air,|     |
    Em                 Am
    Baf-fled, our foes stand by the shore,
    Em           C        Em      D7
    Fol-low they will not dare.|      |

        G             Em          Am          D7
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing,
        G            C        G      D7
        On-ward, the sail-ors cry.|      |
        G          Em         Am         D7
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        G         C      G
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |  𝄎  |

    Em              Am
2.  Ma-ny's the lad fought on that day,
    Em       C               Em        D
    Well the clay-more could wield, |     |
    Em                   Am
    When the night came, si-lent-ly lay
    Em          C        Em       D7
    Dead in Cul-lo-den's field.|      |

        G             Em          Am          D7
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing,
        G            C        G      D7 
        On-ward, the sail-ors cry.|      |
        G          Em         Am         D7
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        G         C      G
        O-ver the sea to Skye. |  𝄎  |

    Em                     Am
 3. Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,
    Em         C      Em      D
    O-cean's a ro-yal bed. |     |
    Em                 Am
    Rock'd in the deep Flo-ra will keep
    Em              C      Em      D7
    Watch o'er your wea-ry head.|      |

        G             Em          Am          D7
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing,
        G            C        G      D7
        On-ward, the sail-ors cry.|      |
        G          Em         Am         D7
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        G         C      G   |  G |
        O-ver the sea to Skye.

    Em                    Am
 4. Burned are our homes, ex-ile and death,
    Em             C      Em      D
    Scat-tered the lo-yal men. |     |
    Em                Am
    Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath,
    Em            C      Em      D7
    Char-lie will come a-gain.|      |

        G             Em          Am          D7
Chorus: Speed bon-nie boat like a bird on the wing,
        G            C        G      D7
        On-ward, the sail-ors cry.|      |
        G          Em         Am         D7
        Car-ry the lad that's born to be king
        G         C      G       G
        O-ver the sea to Skye.|     | 

The Corries

The Corries
The Corries

Band Origin: Scotland

Past members: Roy Williamson (1936-1990), Ronnie Brown, Bill Smith, Paddie Bell (1931-2005)

Associations: The Corrie Folk Trio, The Corrie Folk Trio & Paddie Bell

Instruments: guitar, banjo, mandolin, bodhrán, combolin (invented by Roy Williamson), harmonica, tin whistle, bouzouki, concertina, Northumbrian smallpipes, banduria, psaltery, flute

Active Years: 1962–1990

Music Styles: Scottish folk

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