Unlocking The Sea Shanty: 7 Easiest Sailor Song Guitar Chords For Absolute Beginners
Are you ready to set sail on your guitar journey with some of the most rousing, simple, and fun songs ever written? As of December 19, 2025, the world of "sailor songs" for guitar has never been more vibrant, thanks to the recent sea shanty revival and popular modern tracks like Gigi Perez’s hit. This guide cuts through the complexity, giving you the exact, up-to-date chords for the most essential sailor songs and sea shanties, perfect for absolute beginners and seasoned acoustic players looking for a campfire classic.
A "sailor song" on guitar can range from an ancient, stomping sea shanty used for work on a ship to a modern indie-pop track with a nautical theme. The great news is that almost all of them are designed to be played and sung by groups of people, meaning the chord progressions are deliberately simple—often requiring just two or three open chords. Forget complex barre chords; your next musical voyage starts here with the easiest chord shapes and strumming patterns.
The Essential Sailor Song Entities: Chords, Keys, and History
To master the genre, you need to understand the two main categories: the traditional Sea Shanty and the modern Nautical-Themed Pop Song. Both are excellent for beginner guitarists and provide a strong foundation for acoustic playing.
1. Traditional Sea Shanty: The Work Songs of the Sea
Sea shanties are folk songs with a rich history, originally sung by sailors to coordinate their labor, such as hoisting sails or weighing anchor. Their simple structure and repetitive nature make them ideal for easy guitar tutorials. The most popular shanties of today, like "Drunken Sailor" and "Wellerman," often use a minor key, giving them a haunting, evocative sound.
A. Drunken Sailor (Traditional)
This is arguably the most famous sea shanty and a staple for any campfire guitarist. It’s a fantastic 2-chord song that helps you practice a quick chord change.
- Key: E Minor (Em) or A Minor (Am)
- Difficulty: Absolute Beginner
- Essential Chords: Em and D (or Am and G for a slightly higher key)
- Strumming Pattern Suggestion: Down, Down-Up, Up, Down-Up (D D-U U-D-U)
- The 2-Chord Progression (E Minor Key):
(Em) What shall we do with the (D) drunken sailor? (Em) What shall we do with the (D) drunken sailor? (Em) What shall we do with the (D) drunken sailor? (Em) Ear-ly in the (D) morn-ing!
B. Wellerman (Sea Shanty / Nathan Evans)
The Wellerman (or "Soon May the Wellerman Come") exploded in popularity recently, thanks to Nathan Evans and the #ShantyTok phenomenon, making it one of the most current sea shanty guitar chords to learn. While it has a few more chords than "Drunken Sailor," it remains a very manageable folk song.
- Key: A Minor (Am)
- Difficulty: Beginner (4 Chords)
- Essential Chords: Am, G, C, and F (The F can be played as a simple Fmaj7 or a 4-string F for easier play).
- Strumming Pattern Suggestion: A driving, steady Down, Down-Up, Down-Up (D D-U D-U)
- The Chord Progression:
(Am) There once was a ship that (G) put to sea, (C) And the name of that ship was the (F) Billy of Tea. (Am) The winds blew hard, her (G) bow dipped down, (C) Blow, my bully boys, (F) blow!
2. Modern Sailor Song: Gigi Perez’s Viral Hit
The term "sailor song" also applies to contemporary tracks with a nautical or seafaring theme. The most searched modern song in this category is "Sailor Song" by Gigi Perez. This track is a perfect example of a modern, easy-to-play acoustic song that has a massive following among new guitar players.
C. Sailor Song by Gigi Perez
Gigi Perez’s viral track is popular because of its dreamy, straightforward chord progression. Many tutorials suggest using a capo to simplify the chords further, but the song is easily played with a few standard open shapes.
- Key: G# Minor (often played with a Capo on 4th fret to use E Minor shapes)
- Difficulty: Absolute Beginner (3-4 Chords)
- Essential Chords (No Capo): Emaj7, G#m, B, and C#m (The Emaj7 can be tricky, so a simpler E chord is often substituted by beginners).
- Essential Chords (Capo on 4th Fret): Em, G, C, and D. (This is the easiest way to play it!)
- Strumming Pattern Suggestion: A gentle, rhythmic Down, Down, Up, Down, Up (D D U D U) to match the song's vibe.
- The Capo 4 Chord Progression (Verse/Chorus):
(Em) I saw her in the (G) rightest way, (C) Looking like (D) Anne Hathaway, (Em) Laughing while she (G) hit the hay, (C) The ocean, the (D) ocean.
Mastering the Sea Shanty Strumming Pattern and Rhythm
The rhythm is the secret sauce for any sea shanty or sailor song. Since they were work songs, they need a strong, driving beat. This is where you build topical authority in your playing.
The "Shanty Stomp" Strumming Pattern
A classic sea shanty, like "Drunken Sailor" or "Wellerman," demands a powerful, consistent rhythm that mimics the sound of boots stomping or ropes pulling. This pattern is often played in 4/4 time or 6/8 time.
- 4/4 Time (Most Common): D D U U D U. Emphasize the first and third downstrokes (the "stomp").
- 6/8 Time (Waltz/Jig Feel): D D U U D U D U. This gives a more lilting, jig-like feel, perfect for songs like "The Irish Rover."
- The Key to Authenticity: Don't be afraid to mute the strings slightly with your strumming hand (palm muting) on the downstrokes to create a percussive, drum-like sound. This is a crucial guitar technique for folk music and shanties.
The Modern "Sailor Song" Rhythm
In contrast, modern tracks like the Gigi Perez song require a lighter, more ethereal touch. The focus shifts from a "stomp" to a "sway."
- Rhythm: Gentle and flowing, often using arpeggios (picking individual notes of the chord) or a simple, soft strum.
- Pattern: D D U D U. The emphasis is on a steady, soft flow, letting the chords ring out. This is a great exercise for fingerpicking as well.
More Sea Shanty Chords for Your Repertoire
Once you’ve mastered the essential three, you can quickly expand your sailor song repertoire with these simple additions. All of these are excellent easy guitar songs that use the same basic open chords (G, C, D, Em, Am).
- Roll the Old Chariot Along: A classic call and response shanty.
- Chords: G, C, D
- The Irish Rover: A fun drinking song with a nautical theme.
- Chords: G, C, D, Em
- Barrett’s Privateers (Stan Rogers): A more modern folk song that feels like a shanty.
- Chords: Am, G, C, F
- Leave Her Johnny: A melancholy forebitter (a song sung for entertainment, not work).
- Chords: Em, Am, D, G
Learning these simple chord progressions not only gives you a full set of sailor songs to play but also trains your ear and your hands for quicker chord changes, which is the foundation of acoustic guitar mastery. Grab your guitar, find your rhythm, and let the music of the sea carry you forward!
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