Chords for "Waterloo Sunset"
From: Franz Lemmermeyer
Subject: CRD: Waterloo Sunset (Kinks)
Waterloo Sunset (Ray Davies)
D A G
1. Dirty old river, must you keep rolling, rolling into the night
D A G
People so busy make me feel dizzy, taxi lights shine so bright
Em B Em7 A
But i don't need no friends
D A G G B E
As long as i gaze on Waterloo Sunset, i am in paradise
E7 A G B E
Every day i look at the world from my window
E7 A7
The chilly-chilliest evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
2. Terry meets Julie, Waterloo Station, every Friday night
But i am so lazy, don't want to wander, i stay at home at night
But i don't feel afraid
As long as i gaze on Waterloo Sunset, i am in paradise
Every day i look at the world from my window
The chilly chilliest evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
3. Millions of people swarming like flies round Waterloo underground
Terry and Julie cross over the river where they feel safe and sound
And they don't need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo Sunset, they are in paradise
Every day i look at the world from my window
The chilly chilliest evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
'&' ********************************************************
# Franz Lemmermeyer ** - These people have *
# Erwin-Rohde-Str. 19 ** been your enemies *
_#_ 69120 Heidelberg ** for 20,000 years! *
( # ) ** - I'm not that old, *
/ O \ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.de ** said Hagbard. *
( === ) ***** Illuminatus *****
'---' ********************************************************
From: PSHAW
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 1996 13:16:00 -0500 (EST)
[...]
Also, Waterloo Sunset is off, but I don't know the names of the chords
that are right. It is one of those songs that is really so nicely put
together, that I wish I knew what the chord names were so I could tell them.
Still, what is on the page is very nice too, although the song is in E, not D.
D is easier to play though, and that makes it fine for me. My God--in so many
ways is Waterloo Sunset fine.
From: Jim Smart
Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 07:05:31 -1000
Subject: chord changes for Waterloo Sunset
I have been strumming away at this song, which IS in the key of E, not D.
Still, this is the easiest key, so you should put a capo on the 2nd fret,
and play it like this.
Thanks for the chords. I have made a few changes...The following lines
should emphasize the descending notes from E, Eb, D, and C#, while the bass
should also climb from E to A, like this: E, F#, G, A..........
Em B7 Em7 A
But i don't need no friends
The "Sha La La" part must be changed: do NOT play a B chord, please!
D A G G D(F# bass) E
As long as i gaze on Waterloo Sunset, i am in paradise
Here, there is a missing D chord, played twice hard, before the second "Sha
La La"
E7(descending bass line: E,D,C#,B) A D G D(F# bass) E
Every day i look at the world from my window
E7 (descending bass again) A7 (descending bass line: A, G, F#, E...)
chilly-chilly is the evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
That last part is also the intro....Hope this helps!!!
Jim Smart
Date: July 8, 1998 12:12 AM
From: David M. Toole
the song is in E, with NO capo.
the intro is a steadily strummed B7 fretted low to high like this: X
2 1 2 0 2 with
the lead going over it.
the verse chords are E, B7(X 2 4 2 4 2), and A.
the "and i don't need..." part has a screwy chord sequence like
this:
F#m(2 4 4 2 2 2), F#m something (2 4 3 2 2 4), F#m7 (2 4 2 2 2 2),
and the above
B7. then back to verse chords.
the "sha la la" is A(X 0 2 2 2 0), then the bass line with your
pinky on the fourth fret
of the low E, F# (major this time, strummed all the way through to
"my"), and on "window" go back to the B7 (X 2 4 2 4 2). then two quick
strums on E and repeat from the "sha la la", winding back up at the
intro of the song, which is also the ending.
thanks for taking the time to read this, and i hope my layout isn't
too confusing.
Date: February 26, 1999 6:18 PM
From: jmaxwell
I've been struggling with Waterloo Sunset for several years now. I
feel most comfortable with the version which Franz Lemmermeyer has
presented. I believe that the "And I don't need no friends" bit should
be corrected to the following:
and I don't(Emajor)-(Bmajor)...need no friends(Gmajor)-(Amajor) as
long as I gaze etc.
Part of the problem with trying to figure this song out is that the
record is not "pitched" to a proper tuning. Its impossible to play along
with it unless your guitar is somewhat sharp or flat.
I believe that Ray Davies played the song with the capo on the second
fret when he did the live program for the television.
Hope this helps,
John Maxwell
Date: July 26, 1999 5:28 PM
From: Jonathan Longstaff
First of all, I have to give my guitar teacher, Troy, credit for this as he
taught it to me and figured out the leads.
Throughout the song, Ray has a capo on the second fret and is playing the
following chord pattern:
Chords are relative to capo
Intro: 4 bars of A
Verses: ||: D . . . | A/C# . . . | G/B . . . | % :|| Em . . . | Em+7 .
. . | Em7 . . . |
Chorus: | A . . . | D . . . | A/C# . . . | G/B . . . | G/B . G G/F# | Em . .
. | % | A . . . | D . G G/F# | Em . . . | % | repeat four bars of
A from intro
For the fuzzy electric guitar (plus bass), play this (no capo, slightly
muted):
Intro: | B . B/A . | B/G# . B/F# . | B/E . B/D# . | B/C# . B . |
Verses: ||: E . . . | B/D# . . . | A/C# . . . | % :|| F#m . . . |
F#m+7 . . . | F#m7 . . . |
Chorus: | B . . . | E . . . | B/D# . . . | A/C# . . . | A/C# . A A/G# | F#m
. F#m/E . | F#m/D# . F#m/C# . | B . B/F# . | E . A A/G# | F#m . F#m/E . |
F#m/D# . F#m/C# . | repeat intro chords
I know that's awfully convoluted, but I don't know how to do it any better
than that.
Here are the leads:
This one comes at the beginning and at the end. Basically, it's just the
melody.
e|----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------5-----------------------------------------------------|
G|----4s6s4---s6-4--------4---------------------------------------|
D|-----------------4-s6s4---4s6-4--------s6-4-2-------------------|
A|--------------------------------2-s4s2--------4-----------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|
When Dave plays this at the end, though, some of the slides become
hammer-ons.
Now, here's the very subversive, hard-to-hear lead throughout the song. It
is played in several variations, but here's how it appears the first time:
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------5----------------------------------------------------------5-----------|
G|----2-4s6---6s4-2----------4---------------4-------------------2-4s6---6s4-2-----|
D|---------------------2-4s6---6s4-2-2-2-4s6---6s4-1-1-1-2-4-2---------------------|
A|------------------s5-----------------------------------------4-------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Date: Nov. 12, 1999 4:07 PM
From: Scott A. Smith
I play the song in E without a capo, similar to how David Poole describes it,
but when I reach the screwy chord sequence, I play it.
F#m Faug A B E
But I don't need no friends/ As long as I gaze on. . . .
Try it out.
Scott Smith
Date: January 2, 2000 6:30 PM
From: jeff cooper
Waterloo Sunset
E B7
Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
A
Rolling into the night
E B7
People so busy, makes me feel dizzy
A
Taxi lights shine so bright
C#m C#m(maj7) Cm7 F#7
But I don't, need no friends
E B7
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
A [E E/D#]
I am in paradise...
C#m F# E B
Every day I look at the world from my window
C#m F#
Chilly, chilly is evening time
F# F#/E F#/D# F#
Waterloo sunset's fine...Waterloo sunset's fine...
Terry meets Julie, Waterloo Station
Every Friday night
But I am so lazy, don't want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I don't feel afraid
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise
Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunset's fine
Millions of people swarming like flies 'round Waterloo underground
But Terry and Julie cross over the river
Where they feel safe and sound
And the don't need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset
They are in paradise
Waterloo sunset's fine
Date: January 20, 2001 4:01 PM
From: kim.d
Waterloo sunset.
I've just been looking at the chords for the above on the Kinks
chords & tabs site. The above is my own version obtained by
listening to the single and trying to match on my Fender! Maybe
some of the B chords could be B7's other wise it seems ok. Let
me know what you think. I hope you enjoy it.
Guitar run down. B 3 _ bars E B F#m
E B F#m
Dirty old river must you keep rolling, rolling into the night.
E B F#m
People so busy, make me feel dizzy, taxi light shines so bright.
F#m7 C#m A B E
But I don't, need no friend, as long as I gaze on,
B F#m
Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise.
Chorus.
E F#m B E
Sha la la. Every day I look at the world from my window.
F#m E F#m B
Sha la la. Chilly chilly it's evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
///////////
E B F#m
Terry meets Julie, Waterloo station, every Friday night.
E B F#m
But I am so lazy, don't want to wander, I stay at home at night.
F#m7 C#m A B E
But I don't, feel afraid, as long as I gaze on,
B F#m
Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise.
Repeat chorus.
E B F#m
Millions of people, swarming like flies round, Waterloo under ground.
E B F#m
But Terry and Julie cross over the river, where they feel safe and sound.
F#m7 C#m A B E
And they don't, need no friends, as long as they gaze on,
B F#m
Waterloo sunset, they are in paradise.
Guitar run down. E B F#m End on B.
Date: March 16, 2001 4:40 PM
From: Navin Johnson
WATERLOO SUNSET
E B A
dirty old river,wont you keep rolling,rolling into the night.ect...
F#m Db7 A B
but i dont,need no friends.
A E F#m B E,E
sha,la,la-every day i look at the world through my window
A E F#m B
sha,la,la-chilly,chilly is evening time.waterloo sunsets fine...
JUST THOUGHT ID ADD TO THE FIVE PAGES OF WATERLOO SUNSET MADDNESS YOUVE GOT
GOING. I DO AGREE WITH THOSE WHO SAY IT SHOULD BE PLAYED WITH CAPO ON
TWO,BUT THIS IS AN EASY WAY TO PLAY IT WITH NO CAPO.AND IT SOUNDS GOOD.ITS
NOT PERFECT BUT OH,WELL.
JEFF HASSETT
Date: April 15, 2002 2:51 AM
From: jgleeson
Theres about ten different "Waterloo Sunse"t tablatures and there all wrong.
Heres the correct version enjoy.........
waterloo sunset
chords
B E B7 A F#m C#/E# A/C# F# B E5/B A G#m E/B B5 A5
# 0 2 0 2 1 # 2 7 # # 4 7 # #
4 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 7 # # 4 9 # #
4 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 8 9 6 4 9 # #
4 2 1 2 4 3 2 4 9 9 7 6 9 9 7
2 2 2 0 4 # 4 4 9 7 7 6 7 9 7
# 0 # # 2 # # 2 7 7 5 4 7 7 5
intro
(bass)
B B/A B/G# B/F# B/E B/D# B/C# B
B
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-0--0-0-
-----------------------------
E B7 A
---------------------------------------------------
-------5-------------------------------------------
-s6--4---s6-4-----------4--------------------------
----------------4-s6--4---s6--4----------6-4---2---
-----------------------------------2-4-2---------4-
---------------------------------------------------
riff 1
--------------
------5-------
-2-s6---6s4-2-
--------------
--------------
--------------
verses
E B7 A(w/riff 1)
(1)dirty old river must you keep rolling rolling into the night
(2)terry meets julie waterloo station every friday night
(3)millions of people swarming like flies round waterloo underground
people so busy make me feel dizzy taxi lights shine so bright
but i am so lazy dont want to wander i stay at home at night
terry and julie cross over the river where they feel safe and sound
F#m C#/E# A/C# B7
but i dont need no friends
but i dont feel afraid
and they dont need no friends
E B7 A (bass/A G#)
as long as i gaze on waterloo sunset i am in paradise
as long as i gaze on waterloo sunset i am in paradise
as long as i gaze on waterloo sunset they are in paradise
F# B E5/B (bass/A G#)
(Sha la la)
every day i look at the world from my window
F# B
(Sha la la)
but chilly chilly is evening time waterloo sunsets fine
Outro
B5 A5 B5 A5 B5 A5 B5 A5 B5 A5 B5 A5 B5 A5 B5 E
From: Mike Freemont
Date: May 1, 2007
The last one you have posted is nearly perfect,
but i think the C#/E# chord maybe off
so i looked up some live performances from youtube to see as many of the actual finger postions as i could make out
and this is the best i can come up with, hope you enjoy
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks
Chords:
E - 022100
B7 - x21202
B - x24442
A - 002220
Asus2 - 002200
F#m - x44222
F#m+7- x43222
F#m7 - x42222
F# - x44322
AII - x77655
G#m - x66444
BII - x99877
intro: B chord (descending notes B A G# F# E D# C#)
opening riff
e ------------------------------------------------
b ------------------------------------------------
g ------9-----------------------------------------
D -9-11---9/11-9--------9------------6------------
A ---------------9-11-9---9/11---------9-7--------
E -----------------------------7-9-7-------9--(7)-
E B7
Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
A (Asus2)*
Flowing into the night
E B7
People so busy, makes me feel dizzy
A
Taxi light shines so bright
F#m F#m+7 F#m7 B
But I don't..... need no friends
E B7
As long as I gaze on waterloo sunset
A AII G#m**
I am in paradise (sha la)
F# B E A G#m
la Every day I look at the world from my window sha la
F#
la But chilly, chilly is the evening time
B B7
Waterloo sunsets fine (Waterloo sunsets fine)
Terry meets julie, waterloo station
Every friday night
But I am so lazy, dont want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I dont feel afraid
As long as I gaze on waterloo sunset
I am in paradise
Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunsets fine
Millions of people swarming like flies round waterloo underground
But terry and julie cross over the river
Where they feel safe and sound
And the dont need no friends
As long as they gaze on waterloo sunset
They are in paradise
BII
Waterloo sunsets fine..repeat until fadeout
*Ocassionally he switches to asus2
**he Could possibly be just playing a plain G# major, but its not all that noticable
since its played so quickly
From: Fatherflot
Date: July 27, 2011
Waterloo Sunset - This is it!
OK, here goes:
Intro is B barred on the second fret with a descending bassline: B, A (open on A string) G#, F# (on E string)
Dirty Old River etc.
E B(not 7!) A
But I don't etc.
F# min - F# aug (Davies loves this change see "Set Me Free"!) A B
As long as I gaze on etc.
E B A
Sha La La
A E F# (now it's a major)
Then walk down the Bass for the F# the same way you walked it down on the B chord in the intro. Here it's: F# E (on the low E string) D# C# (on the A string)
Waterloo sunset's fine. . .
B (later goes to a B 7)
That's it. The walk down basslines for the B and F# are key, as is the change from F#minor to F# augmented.
Please, everyone try this and listen carefully. This is it.
From: Chris Tanis
Date: 21 Feb. 2013
OK
The trouble with this song is that you can't necessarily hear the rhythm
guitar's chord changes clearly. So, you must listen to the whole band to
figure out a way to play it satisfactorily by yourself on a single acoustic
guitar.
SO,
Here goes my version. Cheap & cheerful it is, but I think it's right on:
INTRO:
B B/A B/G# B/F# and then just B as the bass continues the B Mixolydian
scale downwards again to B (E, D#, C#, B) with a B7 at the very end
VERSES:
E B A x3
PRE-CHORUS:
F#m F#m add9/E# (The third chord is either F#m7/E or A/E, almost the
same, really, except for the F# on top- voice it with an A on top as A/E
to simulate Dave & Rasa's backing vox) B
CHORUS: E B A
BRIDGE: A E/G# F# F#/E F#/D# F#/C#
B E
A E/G# F# F#/E F#/D# F#/C#
REPEAT INTRO CHORDS
OUTRO: E B A Bmodal (no 3rd)
***
The F#m add9/E# chord in the PRE-CHORUS section is problematic, in
the sense that the added 9th (G#) is, to my ears, only in the backing
vox, and may not be in the chords that Ray was playing at the time,
but that really makes no difference. There may be additional notes in
that chord, but there is no question that E# (otherwise known as
"F natural" just to confuse things a bit) is the bass note. Whether ALL
the instruments are playing it or just the lead guitar and the bass is
open to debate, but functionally, it makes little difference. The other
notes of the chord as I've written it (A, C#, G#) are at least not
*incorrect*, and between what the chord would most likely be and
what my ears tell me, are correct.
The progression in that section is sort of like the Beatles' adaptation
of A Taste of Honey, which goes:
F#m F#m/E# F#m/E B9/D#
It's a standard device to walk the bass note downward that way over
a minor chord, but unique here in that it's the ii chord in the key.
Usually it'd be the i or iv in a minor key, or the vi (the relative minor)
in a major key.
So, I'm fairly satisfied with this when I play it this way. I played it
along with the original recording and with a live version from '73,
and it sounds correct in both cases.
Been a long time since I posted here, but wanted to share this with
you. Of course, it's just the way I hear it.
From: Jim McGuiness
Date: 9 May 2017
The pre-chorus chords beneath "and I don't feel afraid" should be familiar
to all who know the song "Brother" from the Sleepwalker album. You might
say it's a Ray trademark. It is F#m to F+ (F augmented) to A to B exactly. On
"Brother" this same chord sequence underlies "our friends are leaving...".
Jim McGuiness 2017
KindaKinks.net
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