Jamaica Farewell Chords

KeyA CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays505

Jamaica Farewell by Sam Cooke is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of A. It uses the chords A, D, E7, A7 and Dm7. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
A
Text
16
Speed
  			

A                        D                                                 
Down the way, where the nights are gay 
             A           D           A  E7    A 
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top 
A                D                                     
I took a trip on a sailing ship  
                A        D        A   E7  A    
And when I reached Jamaica, I made a stop 
E7       A             D                              
But I'm sad to say, I'm on my way 
         E7             A 
Won't be back for many a day 
     A      A7              D       Dm7                                 
My heart is down, my head is turning around  
          A          E7      A 
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town 
A                      D                                 
Sounds of laughter everywhere 
           A          D          A  E7    A 
And the dancing girls sway to and fro 
A                 D                                          
I must declare, my heart is there 
             A       D      A   E7  A    
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico 
E7       A             D                             
But I'm sad to say, I'm on my way 
    E7               A 
Won't be back for many a day 
    A        A7           D       Dm7                                  
My heart is down, my head is turning around 
           A         E7      A 
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town 
A                     D                                     
Down at the market, you can hear 
         A          D          A  E7    A 
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear 
A                 D                                    
Aki rice, swordfish are nice  
     A        D        A   E7  A    
And the rum is fine any time of year 
E7       A             D                             
But I'm sad to say, I'm on my way  
      E7               A 
Won't be back for many a day 
    A       A7             D       Dm7                                  
My heart is down, my head is turning around 
        A           E7     A 
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town 
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante