Rock, Folk

Southern Cross Chords

Crosby Stills & Nash Beginner Key of A 4 Chords 3 min read

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Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

A · G · D · Em

A classic sailing and reflection song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play G, C, D, and Em shapes to sound in the key of A.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern Islands

D Em

Sailin’ a reach before a followin’ sea

G C

She was makin’ for the trades on the outside

D Em

And the downhill run to Papeete

Verse 2

G C

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

G

We got eighty feet of the waterline

D

Nicely making way

Em

In a brisk and choppy sea

G C G

And my shipmate is a raving, drunken, kind of sailor

D Em

And the ship is a stay-cation, to me

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Verse 3

G C

Think about how many times I have fallen

G D

Spirits are using me, larger voices callin’

Em G

What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

C

I have been around the world

D Em

Lookin’ for that woman-girl

G

Who knows love can endure

C

And you know it will

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Bridge

Em

And you know it will

Em

And you know it will

Verse 4

G C

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

G D Em

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

G C

You will survive being vested

G D Em

I could go leavin’ this all be-hind

G

And I’m never going back

C D Em

And my heart is leavin’ here to stay

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Outro

G C

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

G D

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Em

Goodbye

Practice tip: Master the G to C and G to D transitions, as they are the most common changes in this song. Strum lightly to match the laid-back feel.

Atap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

A · G · D · Em

A classic sailing and reflection song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play G, C, D, and Em shapes to sound in the key of A.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern Islands

D Em

Sailin’ a reach before a followin’ sea

G C

She was makin’ for the trades on the outside

D Em

And the downhill run to Papeete

Verse 2

G C

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

G

We got eighty feet of the waterline

D

Nicely making way

Em

In a brisk and choppy sea

G C G

And my shipmate is a raving, drunken, kind of sailor

D Em

And the ship is a stay-cation, to me

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Verse 3

G C

Think about how many times I have fallen

G D

Spirits are using me, larger voices callin’

Em G

What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

C

I have been around the world

D Em

Lookin’ for that woman-girl

G

Who knows love can endure

C

And you know it will

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Bridge

Em

And you know it will

Em

And you know it will

Verse 4

G C

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

G D Em

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

G C

You will survive being vested

G D Em

I could go leavin’ this all be-hind

G

And I’m never going back

C D Em

And my heart is leavin’ here to stay

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Outro

G C

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

G D

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Em

Goodbye

Practice tip: Master the G to C and G to D transitions, as they are the most common changes in this song. Strum lightly to match the laid-back feel.

Atap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

A · G · D · Em

A classic sailing and reflection song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play G, C, D, and Em shapes to sound in the key of A.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern Islands

D Em

Sailin’ a reach before a followin’ sea

G C

She was makin’ for the trades on the outside

D Em

And the downhill run to Papeete

Verse 2

G C

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

G

We got eighty feet of the waterline

D

Nicely making way

Em

In a brisk and choppy sea

G C G

And my shipmate is a raving, drunken, kind of sailor

D Em

And the ship is a stay-cation, to me

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Verse 3

G C

Think about how many times I have fallen

G D

Spirits are using me, larger voices callin’

Em G

What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

C

I have been around the world

D Em

Lookin’ for that woman-girl

G

Who knows love can endure

C

And you know it will

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Bridge

Em

And you know it will

Em

And you know it will

Verse 4

G C

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

G D Em

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

G C

You will survive being vested

G D Em

I could go leavin’ this all be-hind

G

And I’m never going back

C D Em

And my heart is leavin’ here to stay

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Outro

G C

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

G D

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Em

Goodbye

Practice tip: Master the G to C and G to D transitions, as they are the most common changes in this song. Strum lightly to match the laid-back feel.

Atap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

A · G · D · Em

A classic sailing and reflection song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play G, C, D, and Em shapes to sound in the key of A.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern Islands

D Em

Sailin’ a reach before a followin’ sea

G C

She was makin’ for the trades on the outside

D Em

And the downhill run to Papeete

Verse 2

G C

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

G

We got eighty feet of the waterline

D

Nicely making way

Em

In a brisk and choppy sea

G C G

And my shipmate is a raving, drunken, kind of sailor

D Em

And the ship is a stay-cation, to me

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Verse 3

G C

Think about how many times I have fallen

G D

Spirits are using me, larger voices callin’

Em G

What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

C

I have been around the world

D Em

Lookin’ for that woman-girl

G

Who knows love can endure

C

And you know it will

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Bridge

Em

And you know it will

Em

And you know it will

Verse 4

G C

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

G D Em

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

G C

You will survive being vested

G D Em

I could go leavin’ this all be-hind

G

And I’m never going back

C D Em

And my heart is leavin’ here to stay

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Outro

G C

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

G D

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Em

Goodbye

Practice tip: Master the G to C and G to D transitions, as they are the most common changes in this song. Strum lightly to match the laid-back feel.

Atap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

A · G · D · Em

A classic sailing and reflection song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play G, C, D, and Em shapes to sound in the key of A.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern Islands

D Em

Sailin’ a reach before a followin’ sea

G C

She was makin’ for the trades on the outside

D Em

And the downhill run to Papeete

Verse 2

G C

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

G

We got eighty feet of the waterline

D

Nicely making way

Em

In a brisk and choppy sea

G C G

And my shipmate is a raving, drunken, kind of sailor

D Em

And the ship is a stay-cation, to me

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Verse 3

G C

Think about how many times I have fallen

G D

Spirits are using me, larger voices callin’

Em G

What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

C

I have been around the world

D Em

Lookin’ for that woman-girl

G

Who knows love can endure

C

And you know it will

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Bridge

Em

And you know it will

Em

And you know it will

Verse 4

G C

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

G D Em

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

G C

You will survive being vested

G D Em

I could go leavin’ this all be-hind

G

And I’m never going back

C D Em

And my heart is leavin’ here to stay

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Outro

G C

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

G D

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Em

Goodbye

Practice tip: Master the G to C and G to D transitions, as they are the most common changes in this song. Strum lightly to match the laid-back feel.

Atap to play

Gtap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Key

A Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

A · G · D · Em

A classic sailing and reflection song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Beginner difficulty in the key of A.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play G, C, D, and Em shapes to sound in the key of A.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G C G

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern Islands

D Em

Sailin’ a reach before a followin’ sea

G C

She was makin’ for the trades on the outside

D Em

And the downhill run to Papeete

Verse 2

G C

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

G

We got eighty feet of the waterline

D

Nicely making way

Em

In a brisk and choppy sea

G C G

And my shipmate is a raving, drunken, kind of sailor

D Em

And the ship is a stay-cation, to me

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Verse 3

G C

Think about how many times I have fallen

G D

Spirits are using me, larger voices callin’

Em G

What heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

C

I have been around the world

D Em

Lookin’ for that woman-girl

G

Who knows love can endure

C

And you know it will

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Bridge

Em

And you know it will

Em

And you know it will

Verse 4

G C

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

G D Em

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

G C

You will survive being vested

G D Em

I could go leavin’ this all be-hind

G

And I’m never going back

C D Em

And my heart is leavin’ here to stay

Chorus

C G

So I’m sailing for tomorrow, my dreams are a-dyin’

C G D Em

And my love is an anchor tied to you, tied with a silver chain

C G

I have my ship and all her flags are a-flyin’

C G D

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Outro

G C

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

G D

Say goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Em

Goodbye

Practice tip: Master the G to C and G to D transitions, as they are the most common changes in this song. Strum lightly to match the laid-back feel.