Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay chords

Otis Redding

Original Published Key: G Major

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 104 bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner 🟢

Guitar Chords: G, A, A7, B7, C, D, E, F

Arrangement Song Details
Chord Chart Legend
G Major A Major A7 B7 C Major D Major E Major F Major F Major barre chord
Lefties Chord Chart Legend
G Major A Major A7 B7 C Major D Major E Major F Major F Major barre chord
Speed: x0.1

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
          G
Intro: |     |  %  |  %  |  %  |

   G                        B7
1. Sit-tin' in the morn-in' sun
           C                          A7
   I'll be sit-tin' when the ev'-nin' comes
   G                        B7
   Watch-ing the ships roll in
              C                      A
   And then I watch 'em roll a-way a-gain, mmm

             G                           E
CH: I'm just sit-tin' on the dock of the bay
                  G           E
    Watch-ing the tide roll a-way
             G                           A
    Ooo, I'm sit-tin' on the dock of the bay
              G      E
    Wast-in'  ti  -  ime

     G               B7
2. I left my home in Georg-ia
         C                        A7
   And I head-ed for the 'Fris-co Bay
        G                    B7
   'Cos I've got noth-ing to live for
             C                        A
   Look like noth-in's gon-na come my way
 
                       G                      E
CH: So I'm just gon-na sit on the dock of the bay
                  G           E
    Watch-ing the tide roll a-way
             G                           A
    Ooo, I'm sit-tin' on the dock of the bay
             G      E
    Wast-in' ti  -  ime
 
      G      D     C
Bridge: Look like, noth-ing's gon-na change
      G        D     C
        Ev'-ry-thing seems to stay the same
      G   D             C           G
        I can't do what ten peo-ple tell me to do
      F                    D
        So I guess I'll re-main the same

   G                         B7
3. Sit-tin' here rest-ing my bones
            C                             A7
   And this lone-li-ness won't leave me a-lone
        G                     B7
   It's two thous-and miles I roam
           C                 A
   Just to make this dock my home

                 G                           E
CH: Now I'm just sit-tin' on the dock of the bay
                  G           E
    Watch-ing the tide roll a-way
               G                           A
    Ooo... I'm sit-tin' on the dock of the bay
                 G      E
    I'm wast-in' ti  -  ime
  
          G                         E
Outro: | (Whistling) |  %  |  %  |     |...

Arrangement Details:

  • Key Signature: G Major - 1 sharp (F#)
  • Time Signature: 4/4 — Four quarter-note beats per measure
  • Tempo: Moderately
  • Metronome: ♩ = 104
  • Voice Range: D4 - G5

Song Details:

The Dock of the Bay Album Cover
Album Cover
  • Songwriters: Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
  • Lyrics Begin: Sittin' in the morning sun,
  • Genre: Soul, folk
  • Featured Artist: Otis Redding
  • Single:
    Recorded: November 22 and December 7, 1967
    Released: January 8, 1968
    B-side: Sweet Lorene (Volt issue), Keep Your Arms Around Me (Atco reissue),
  • Album: The Dock of the Bay
    Recorded: July 11, 1965 – December 8, 1967
    Released: February 23, 1968
  • Trajedy: Otis Redding tragically died in a plane crash on December 10, 1967, at just 26 years old, during the peak of his career. Redding had just finished recording (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay three days earlier. The song was released posthumously and became the first No. 1 single released after an artist’s death in U.S. history.🌹🎶
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