Down to the Waterline
View chords used in this chart
Intro: G / Bm / G / Bm
Bm F#m A E7 Bm
Sweet surrender on the quay side
Bm F#m A E7 Bm
You remember we used to run and hide
Bm F#m
In the shadows of cargoes, I take you on time,
A (D)-E
Counting all the numbers
Bm
Down to the waterline
Near misses on the dogleap stairways
French kisses in the darkened doorways
Foghorn blowing out wild and cold
A policeman shines a light upon my shoulder
Lead 1 G / Bm / G / A / Bm
Up comes a coaster, fast and silent through the night
Over my shoulder, all you can see are pilot lights
No money in our jackets and jeans are torn
Your hands are cold but your lips are warm
G / Bm / G / A -
solo: E / C#m / C
G / C (?)
D / A
F# / G / A / Bm
she can see you in the jetty where you used to go
she can see you in the places where the sailors go
when she's walking down the river on the railway line
she can still hear you whisper
Lets go down to the water line
come on.
G / Bm / G / A / Bm / G / A / Bm-#9-9 end||
S B R B R S H P S H
E---------------------------------------7-10-7^10^7---7-----------------
B------------------------------------/7-------------7---7/12----10^12---
G-----7-9-9(11)9(11)-(11)9-7-9-9-7--------------------------------------
D--/9-------------------------------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
H B R P H
E--------------------7-10-----------------------------------------------
B----------------7^10-------7-10---7------------------------------------
G-7^9(11)9^7---------------------9---7-9---7-----------------7-7----7---
D----------------------------------------9---7-9---7-------9------9-----
A------------------------------------------------9---7-9----------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B H P P P P P P
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------3--3-3-3--------------------
G-9(11)-7-9-9--7^9^7-4-2-4--4^2-----4^2-------------4-4-2-2-------------
D-------------------------------4^0-----4^0----------------4-2-0-2^0----
A-------------------------------------------------------------------2-2-
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B P B R B B R B R
E-----------|---------7---------------------|-7-------------------------
B-----------|-------7---7-10^7-10(12)10(12)-|-7-------------------------
G-7-9-9-7-7-|-9(11)-------------------------|----9-9(10)9(10)9-7--------
D-7-9-9-7-7-|-------------------------------|----9-9(10)9(10)9---9-7-9--
A-----------|-------------------------------|---------------------------
E-----------|-------------------------------|---------------------------
R S H B R P H H P P H B R
E--------------------|--------------------------------------------------
B-(9)7--7-7--5-5\3-3-|------------------------------------------7(8)7-8-
G-(9)7--7-7--6-6\4-4-|-----7-7-----7-9(11)9^7^9--7^9^7-------x--7(8)7-7-
D--------------------|-7-9-----7^9---------------------9^7^9---x--------
A--------------------|--------------------------------------------------
E--------------------|--------------------------------------------------
S B P P H H H S B R B R
E-------------------7----------------------------------|----------------
B-8/12-10---------7---10^7-----------------------------|-7-9-9----------
G-7/11--9---9(11)----------9^7-9^7----0-------7-----7\-|-7-9-9(11)9(11)9
D-----------------------------------9-----------9------|----------------
A---------------------------------------7^8^9----------|----------------
E------------------------------------------------------|----------------
P S S S H P H B R P H
E------------|----10----9----7---9---7---|------------------------------
B------------|-/7----/7---/7-----------7-|------------------------------
G---7--------|-----------------9---7---7-|-----7^9^7-----7-9(11)9^7^9-9-
D------9-7-9-|---------------------------|-7-9-------7^9----------------
A------------|---------------------------|------------------------------
E------------|---------------------------|------------------------------
P B R S Arp B R
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------7(8)7--8--8/12-10----9-10-12-12(14)-(14)12-9-8-
G-7-----7-9^7---7--------7(8)7--7--7/11-9----9--------------------------
D-----9-------9---9-7-9---------------------9---------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
S Arp B R B
E------------------10--------------------------------15-----------------
B----10-8---10-8------8-10---8-------12-13-15-15(17)----(17)15-12-15(17)
G--9------9------9---------9-------12-----------------------------------
D-------------------------------/12-------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
R S R S S S S
E-13----------------------------------------------------5-7-----9/12----
B----(17)15-13-15-13------------------------------3/5/7-----------------
G-------------------12/14---------------------0-2-----------7/9---------
D-------------------------(15)14----------0-4---------------------------
A--------------------------------13-12----------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
H P S S S P B R
E-9^12^9----------------------------------------------------------------
B--------10/12-------------------------11----12^11--------------14------
G--------------11/14---------0------11-------------11-13--13(15)--(15)13
D-----------------------14------/11-------11----------------------------
A--------------------16----0--------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Arp S S S S
E---------------------------------------12------------------------------
B------------12-15-12-----------------x----15-14\12\10/12\7-------------
G-11------12----------12------------x-----------------------------------
D------12----------------12-------x-------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B B P B P P H H S
E----------------------------|--------7---------------------------------
B-7-9-10----10---------------|------7---10^7---7------------------------
G-7-9-9(11)-9(11)--11^9------|-9(11)---------9---9^7---0-------7---7\---
D-7-9-------------------12-9-|-----------------------9-----------9------
A----------------------------|---------------------------7^8^9----------
E----------------------------|------------------------------------------
H B R P H P B R S
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------7(8)7-8--8/12-10-
G-----7-9-7------7-9(11)9^7^9-9-7-7---7-9^7---7--------7(8)7-7--7/11--9-
D-7-9--------7^9--------------------9-------9---9-7-9-------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B P P P P B R S
E---------7-10^7---7------------------------------------------9---------
B-------7--------7---10^7-----------------7(8)7-8--8/12-10----7---------
G-9(11)-------------------9^7-9^7---7-----7(8)7-7--7/11--9----7---------
D---------------------------------9---9-----------------------9---------
A-------------------------------------------------------------9---------
E-------------------------------------------------------------7---------
How to play Down to the Waterline
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is G. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.