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Rod Stewart - Sailing Ukulele Chords

ChordsC, Am, F, D, Dm, G7, Dm7
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

IamCsailing,IamAmsailing
home Fagain‘crosstheCsea
IamDsailingstormyAmwaters,
tobeDmnearyou,tobeCfreeG7
IamCflying,IamAmflying
likeaFbird‘crosstheCsky
IamDflying,passingAmhighclouds,
tobeDmnearyou,tobeCfreeG7
CanyaChearme,canyaAmhearme,
thrutheFdarknightfar Caway?
IamDdying,foreverAmtrying
tobeDmwithyou;whocanCsay?G7
CanyaChearme,canyaAmhearme,
thrutheFdarknightfar Caway?
IamDdying,foreverAmtrying
tobeDmwithyou;whocanCsay?G7
IamCsailing,IamAmsailing
home Fagain‘crosstheCsea
IamDsailingstormyAmwaters,
tobeDmnearyou,tobeCfree
G7OhLord,tobeDm7nearyou,tobeCfree.
G7OhLord,tobeDm7nearyou,tobeCfree.
AlbumAtlantic Crossing
Year1975
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Sailing on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Rod Stewart - Sailing on ukulele requires 7 chords and 10 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Sailing uses these transitions most often: C → G7 (6), Am → Dm (5), and Am → F (5). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - Am chord transition.

1. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am:

  1. While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
  2. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

C to Am

2. Am → F chord transition

To move from Am to F:

  1. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

Am to F

3. F → C chord transition

Here's how to move from F to C:

  1. While playing F, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

F to C

4. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D:

  1. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on G string fret 2.
  3. Place middle finger on C string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

C to D

5. D → Am chord transition

Switching from D to Am:

  1. While playing D, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
  2. Lift your middle finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

6. Am → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from Am to Dm:

  1. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Place ring finger on C string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

7. Dm → C chord transition

To move from Dm to C:

  1. While playing Dm, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

8. C → G7 chord transition

To move from C to G7:

  1. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 3 to fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on C string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

9. G7 → Dm7 chord transition

Here's how to move from G7 to Dm7:

  1. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

10. Dm7 → C chord transition

Switching from Dm7 to C:

  1. While playing Dm7, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Sailing.

  • Sailing includes 49 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Sailing contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Sailing connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → D: 11%
    • C → Am: 10%
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → F: 26%
    • Am → Dm: 7%