R&B, Soul

Dock of the Bay Chords

Otis Redding Beginner Key of G 6 Chords 2 min read

Gtap to play

Btap to play

Ctap to play

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Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

G · B · C · A · E · D

Otis Redding’s soulful classic about watching time pass by the water. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Soul Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s laid-back feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

G C

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come

G C

Watching the ships roll in

G D

And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

Chorus

G C

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 2

G C

I left my home in Georgia

G C

Headed for the ‘Frisco bay

G C

I have nothing to live for

G D

Look like nothin’s gonna come my way

Chorus

G C

So I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 3

G C

Look like nothing’s gonna change

G C

Everything still remains the same

G C

I can’t do what ten people tell me to do

G D

So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Chorus

G C

Sittin’ here restin’ my bones

G C

And this loneliness won’t leave me alone

G C

It’s two thousand miles I roamed

G D

Just to make this dock my home

Bridge

G C

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Outro

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Practice tip: Master the simple G-C-D progression before adding the whistling outro; focus on keeping a steady, unhurried tempo throughout.

Gtap to play

Btap to play

Ctap to play

Atap to play

Etap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

G · B · C · A · E · D

Otis Redding’s soulful classic about watching time pass by the water. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Soul Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s laid-back feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

G C

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come

G C

Watching the ships roll in

G D

And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

Chorus

G C

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 2

G C

I left my home in Georgia

G C

Headed for the ‘Frisco bay

G C

I have nothing to live for

G D

Look like nothin’s gonna come my way

Chorus

G C

So I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 3

G C

Look like nothing’s gonna change

G C

Everything still remains the same

G C

I can’t do what ten people tell me to do

G D

So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Chorus

G C

Sittin’ here restin’ my bones

G C

And this loneliness won’t leave me alone

G C

It’s two thousand miles I roamed

G D

Just to make this dock my home

Bridge

G C

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Outro

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Practice tip: Master the simple G-C-D progression before adding the whistling outro; focus on keeping a steady, unhurried tempo throughout.

Gtap to play

Btap to play

Ctap to play

Atap to play

Etap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

G · B · C · A · E · D

Otis Redding’s soulful classic about watching time pass by the water. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Soul Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s laid-back feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

G C

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come

G C

Watching the ships roll in

G D

And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

Chorus

G C

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 2

G C

I left my home in Georgia

G C

Headed for the ‘Frisco bay

G C

I have nothing to live for

G D

Look like nothin’s gonna come my way

Chorus

G C

So I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 3

G C

Look like nothing’s gonna change

G C

Everything still remains the same

G C

I can’t do what ten people tell me to do

G D

So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Chorus

G C

Sittin’ here restin’ my bones

G C

And this loneliness won’t leave me alone

G C

It’s two thousand miles I roamed

G D

Just to make this dock my home

Bridge

G C

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Outro

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Practice tip: Master the simple G-C-D progression before adding the whistling outro; focus on keeping a steady, unhurried tempo throughout.

Gtap to play

Btap to play

Ctap to play

Atap to play

Etap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

G · B · C · A · E · D

Otis Redding’s soulful classic about watching time pass by the water. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Soul Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s laid-back feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

G C

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come

G C

Watching the ships roll in

G D

And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

Chorus

G C

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 2

G C

I left my home in Georgia

G C

Headed for the ‘Frisco bay

G C

I have nothing to live for

G D

Look like nothin’s gonna come my way

Chorus

G C

So I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 3

G C

Look like nothing’s gonna change

G C

Everything still remains the same

G C

I can’t do what ten people tell me to do

G D

So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Chorus

G C

Sittin’ here restin’ my bones

G C

And this loneliness won’t leave me alone

G C

It’s two thousand miles I roamed

G D

Just to make this dock my home

Bridge

G C

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Outro

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Practice tip: Master the simple G-C-D progression before adding the whistling outro; focus on keeping a steady, unhurried tempo throughout.

Gtap to play

Btap to play

Ctap to play

Atap to play

Etap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

G · B · C · A · E · D

Otis Redding’s soulful classic about watching time pass by the water. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Soul Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s laid-back feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

G C

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come

G C

Watching the ships roll in

G D

And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

Chorus

G C

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 2

G C

I left my home in Georgia

G C

Headed for the ‘Frisco bay

G C

I have nothing to live for

G D

Look like nothin’s gonna come my way

Chorus

G C

So I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 3

G C

Look like nothing’s gonna change

G C

Everything still remains the same

G C

I can’t do what ten people tell me to do

G D

So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Chorus

G C

Sittin’ here restin’ my bones

G C

And this loneliness won’t leave me alone

G C

It’s two thousand miles I roamed

G D

Just to make this dock my home

Bridge

G C

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Outro

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Practice tip: Master the simple G-C-D progression before adding the whistling outro; focus on keeping a steady, unhurried tempo throughout.

Gtap to play

Btap to play

Ctap to play

Atap to play

Etap to play

Dtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

G · B · C · A · E · D

Otis Redding’s soulful classic about watching time pass by the water. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Soul Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a light, relaxed strum to match the song’s laid-back feel.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun

G C

I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come

G C

Watching the ships roll in

G D

And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

Chorus

G C

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 2

G C

I left my home in Georgia

G C

Headed for the ‘Frisco bay

G C

I have nothing to live for

G D

Look like nothin’s gonna come my way

Chorus

G C

So I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Verse 3

G C

Look like nothing’s gonna change

G C

Everything still remains the same

G C

I can’t do what ten people tell me to do

G D

So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Chorus

G C

Sittin’ here restin’ my bones

G C

And this loneliness won’t leave me alone

G C

It’s two thousand miles I roamed

G D

Just to make this dock my home

Bridge

G C

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

G C

Watchin’ the tide roll away

G C

Ooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

Outro

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

G D

Wastin’ time

G C

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Practice tip: Master the simple G-C-D progression before adding the whistling outro; focus on keeping a steady, unhurried tempo throughout.