Now playing

The Water Is Wide

Chords

4.6120 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Karla Bonoff
The Water Is Wide
(Traditional)
(She plays Drop D, but it gets kinda difficult with low chords such as G and F#m)
[Intro]
D  Gmaj7  Em7  Asus4
D  Dsus4  D
The Gwater Ais Dwide,        Gmaj7     Em7I Asus4can't cross DoverDsus4  D  
And DneiA/C#ther hBmave       Bm/A    GI Em7wings to Asus4flyA  
Give Ame A/Ga   F#mboat     D7that can carry GtwoG/F#  Em7  
And both shall F#mrow,    Em7my Asus4love  Aand DI
Oh, Glove Ais Dgentle        Gmaj7       Em7and Asus4love is DkindDsus4  D  
The DsweeA/C#test Bmflower      Bm/A    Gwhen Em7first it's Asus4newA  
but Alove A/Ggrows F#mold     D7and waxes GcoldG/F#  Em7  
and fades Fmaway    Em7like Asus4morning Ddew
[Solo with basically the same chords]
There Gis Aa Dship        Gmaj7      Em7and she Asus4sails the DseaDsus4  D  
She's DloaA/C#ded  Bmdeep      Bm/A    Gas Em7deep can Asus4beA  
But Anot A/Gas  F#mdeep     D7as the love I'm GinG/F#  Em7  
I know not F#mhow      Em7I Asus4sink or Dswim
The Gwater Ais Dwide,        Gmaj7     Em7I Asus4can't cross DoverDsus4  D  
And DneiA/C#ther hBmave       Bm/A    GI Em7wings to Asus4flyA  
Give Ame A/Ga   F#mboat     D7that can carry GtwoG/F#  Em7  
And both shall F#mrow,    Em7my Asus4love  Aand DI
And Gboth shall Asus4row,      Amy love  and DIDsus4  D  

All chords in this song (15)

🎸 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

The Water Is Wide

by Karla Bonoff

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Gmaj7

Em7

Asus4

Dsus4

A/C#

Bm/A

A/G

F#m

G/F#

Karla Bonoff

The Water Is Wide

(Traditional)

(She plays Drop D, but it gets kinda difficult with low chords such as G and F#m)

[Intro]

D Gmaj7 Em7 Asus4

D Dsus4 D

G A D Gmaj7 Em7 Asus4 D Dsus4 D

The water is wide, I can't cross over

D A/C# Bm Bm/A G Em7 Asus4 A

And neither have I wings to fly

A A/G F#m D7 G G/F# Em7

Give me a boat that can carry two

F#m Em7 Asus4 A D

And both shall row, my love and I

G A D Gmaj7 Em7 Asus4 D Dsus4 D

Oh, love is gentle and love is kind

D A/C# Bm Bm/A G Em7 Asus4 A

The sweetest flower when first it's new

A A/G F#m D7 G G/F# Em7

but love grows old and waxes cold

Fm Em7 Asus4 D

and fades away like morning dew

[Solo with basically the same chords]

G A D Gmaj7 Em7 Asus4 D Dsus4 D

There is a ship and she sails the sea

D A/C# Bm Bm/A G Em7 Asus4 A

She's loaded deep as deep can be

A A/G F#m D7 G G/F# Em7

But not as deep as the love I'm in

F#m Em7 Asus4 D

I know not how I sink or swim

G A D Gmaj7 Em7 Asus4 D Dsus4 D

The water is wide, I can't cross over

D A/C# Bm Bm/A G Em7 Asus4 A

And neither have I wings to fly

A A/G F#m D7 G G/F# Em7

Give me a boat that can carry two

F#m Em7 Asus4 A D

And both shall row, my love and I

G Asus4 A D Dsus4 D

And both shall row, my love and I

About The Water Is Wide Chords by Karla Bonoff

Learn how to play The Water Is Wide by Karla Bonoff with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Water Is Wide chords”, “The Water Is Wide guitar chords”, or “Karla Bonoff The Water Is Wide 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 The Water Is Wide chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Water Is Wide lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, G, F#m, Gmaj7, Em7, Asus4.

FAQ — The Water Is Wide by Karla Bonoff

How do I play "The Water Is Wide" by Karla Bonoff on guitar?

Open the free chords for "The Water Is Wide" by Karla Bonoff 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 "The Water Is Wide" by Karla Bonoff free?

Yes. The chords for "The Water Is Wide" by Karla Bonoff are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "The Water Is Wide" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "The Water Is Wide" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "The Water Is Wide"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "The Water Is Wide" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "The Water Is Wide" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "The Water Is Wide" by Karla Bonoff with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Karla Bonoff below.

What key is "The Water Is Wide" in?

The chords for "The Water Is Wide" show the original chord names (including D, G, F#m, Gmaj7, Em7, Asus4). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.