Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

A Pirate Looks At Forty

Chords

4.81,818 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Verse 1]
   GMother, mother ocean, I have heard you call
CWanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet Gtall
You've seen it Am7all,        Bm7  Am7you've seen it Gall
[Verse 2]
   GWatch the men who rode you, switch from sails to steam
And Cin your belly you hold the treasure that few have ever Gseen
Most of them Am7dreams,       Bm7  Am7most of them Gdreams
[Verse 3]
GYes, I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The Ccannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder, I'm an over forty victim of Gfate
Arriving too Am7late,      Bm7arAm7riving too Glate
[Verse 4]
GI've done a bit of smugglin' and I've run my share of grass
I Cmade enough money to buy Miami but I pissed it away so Gfast
Never meant to Am7last,      Bm7never Am7meant to Glast
[Verse 5]
GI have been drunk now for over two weeks
I Gpassed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks
But I've Cgot to stop wishin', got to go fishin', I'm down to rock bottom aGgain
With just a few Am7friends,       Bm7  Am7just a few Gfriends
[Instrumental]
|        G|        G|        G|        G|
|        C|        C|        C|        G|
|      Am7|  Bm7   Am7|        G|        G|
[Verse 6]
GI go for younger women, lived with several awhile
Though I Cran 'em away, they come back one day, I still could manage to Gsmile
It just takes a Am7while,      Bm7it Am7just takes a Gwhile
[Verse 7]
   GMother, mother ocean, after all the years I've found
My Coccupational hazard being my occupation's just not aGround
I feel like I've Am7drowned,      Bm7gonna Am7head upGtown
I feel like I've Am7drowned,      Bm7gonna Am7head upGtown
(G)       Am7    Bm7    Am7  G  

All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

This song paints a bittersweet picture of a modern-day drug smuggler reflecting on his life as he turns forty. He laments that the age of true piracy on the high seas is long past, wishing he could have lived in that era, and now ponders what his future holds. Written by Jimmy Buffett about a real person he met, the song captures the feeling of looking back on a life lived on the fringes and wondering what comes next. It plays like a wistful contemplation of dreams, reality, and the passage of time.

AI-written from these sources:A Pirate Looks at Forty — Wikipedia ↗Jimmy Buffett — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

A Pirate Looks At Forty

by Jimmy Buffett

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Am7

Bm7

[Verse 1]

Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call

C G

Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

You've seen it all, you've seen it all

[Verse 2]

Watch the men who rode you, switch from sails to steam

C G

And in your belly you hold the treasure that few have ever seen

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

Most of them dreams, most of them dreams

[Verse 3]

Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred years too late

C G

The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder, I'm an over forty victim of fate

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

Arriving too late, arriving too late

[Verse 4]

I've done a bit of smugglin' and I've run my share of grass

C G

I made enough money to buy Miami but I pissed it away so fast

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

Never meant to last, never meant to last

[Verse 5]

I have been drunk now for over two weeks

I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks

C G

But I've got to stop wishin', got to go fishin', I'm down to rock bottom again

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

With just a few friends, just a few friends

[Instrumental]

G G G G

| | | | |

C C C G

| | | | |

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G G

| | | | |

[Verse 6]

I go for younger women, lived with several awhile

C G

Though I ran 'em away, they come back one day, I still could manage to smile

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

It just takes a while, it just takes a while

[Verse 7]

Mother, mother ocean, after all the years I've found

C G

My occupational hazard being my occupation's just not around

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

I feel like I've drowned, gonna head uptown

Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

I feel like I've drowned, gonna head uptown

G Am7 Bm7 Am7 G

()

About A Pirate Looks At Forty Chords by Jimmy Buffett

Learn how to play A Pirate Looks At Forty by Jimmy Buffett with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “A Pirate Looks At Forty chords”, “A Pirate Looks At Forty guitar chords”, or “Jimmy Buffett A Pirate Looks At Forty chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy A Pirate Looks At Forty chords and for experienced players who want accurate A Pirate Looks At Forty lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, Am7, Bm7.

FAQ — A Pirate Looks At Forty by Jimmy Buffett

How do I play "A Pirate Looks At Forty" by Jimmy Buffett on guitar?

Open the free chords for "A Pirate Looks At Forty" by Jimmy Buffett on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "A Pirate Looks At Forty" by Jimmy Buffett free?

Yes. The chords for "A Pirate Looks At Forty" by Jimmy Buffett are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "A Pirate Looks At Forty" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "A Pirate Looks At Forty" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "A Pirate Looks At Forty"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "A Pirate Looks At Forty" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "A Pirate Looks At Forty" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "A Pirate Looks At Forty" by Jimmy Buffett with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Jimmy Buffett below.

What key is "A Pirate Looks At Forty" in?

The chords for "A Pirate Looks At Forty" show the original chord names (including G, C, Am7, Bm7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.