The Water Is Wide
View chords used in this chart
D D/B Dsus2/E Dsus2/A D Dsus4
+-------2-----------2----+-------0-----------0----+-------2-----2^3---2--0-+
+-------3-----------3----+-------3-----------3----+-------3-----3-----3--3-+
+----2--------------2----+-------2--------2-----2-+----2-----2--2----------+
+-0--------0-----0-------+----0-----0-------------+-0--------------0-------+
+-------------2--------2-+-------------0----------+------------------------+
+------------------------+-0----------------------+------------------------+
D D D/B Dsus2/E Dsus2/A
+-2----------------------+-------2-----------2----+-------0-----------0----+
+-3----------------------+-------3-----------3----+-------3-----------3----+
+----2-----0-----0-----0-+----2--------------2----+-------2--------2-----2-+
+------------------------+-0--------0-----0-------+----0-----0-------------+
+-------0-----2-----4----+-------------2--------2-+-------------0----------+
+------------------------+------------------------+-0----------------------+
The water is wide ___ I can't cross
D Dsus4 D D/A D/C# Bm Bm/A
+-------2-----2^3---2--0-+-2--------2-------------+-------2-----------2----+
+-------3-----3-----3--3-+-3--------3-----3-----3-+-------3-----------3----+
+----2--------2-----2--2-+-2--------2-----2-----2-+-------4-----------4----+
+-0--------0-----0-------+----0--------0----------+----4-----------4-------+
+------------------------+-------0-----------4----+-2--------2--0--------0-+
+------------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
over and nei---ther have
G Em7 A A A7
+-------3-----------0----+------------------------+-------------0----------+
+-------0-----------3----+-------2-----3-----5----+-------2--------2-------+
+-------0-----------0----+-------2----------------+-------2-----------0----+
+----0-----------2-----2-+----2--------4-----5----+----2-----2-----------2-+
+------------------------+-0--------0-----0-----0-+-0----------------------+
+-3--------2--0----------+------------------------+------------------------+
I wings to fly give me a
F#m D D/E G
+-------------2----------+------------------------+-------------3----------+^
+-------2--------2-------+-------3-----------3----+-------0--------0-------+
+-------2-----------2----+----2-----2--------2----+-------0-----------0----+
+----4-----4-----------4-+-0--------------0-----0-+----0-----0-------------+
+------------------------+------------------------+------------------------+
+-2----------------------+-------------0----------+-3--------------------2-+
boat that can ca_rry two
Em7 F#m Em7 A
+-------------0----------+-------------2----------+------------------------+
+-------3--------3-------+-------2--------2-------+-------3-----------2----+
+-------0-----------0----+-------2-----------2----+-------0-----------2----+
+----2-----2-----------2-+----4-----4-------------+----2-----2-----2-----2-+
+------------------------+------------------------+-------------0----------+
+-0----------------------+-2--------------------2-+-0----------------------+
and both shall row my love and
D Dsus4 D
+-------------2^3---2--0-+-2----------------------+
+-------3--------3--3--3-+-3----------------------+
+----2-----2--------2--2-+-2--------0-----0-----0-+
+-0-----------0----------+----0-------------------+
+------------------------+-------0-----2-----4----+
+------------------------+------------------------+
I. Well love is ...etc...
Verse:
The water is wide, I can't cross over
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I.
Well love is gentle, and love is kind
The sweetest flower when first it's new
But love grows old and waxes cold
And fades away, like mornin' dew.
Instrumental
There is a ship, and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep as deep can be
But not as deep as the love I'm in
I know not how, I sink or swim.
Repeat first verse.
Melody (no timing implied):
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-----3-3---5^3-7-----5-3--------------------3--2----3----5-7-----8--5--------
+-2---------------------------4-----2-2--2------------------------------------
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The water is_ wide, I can't cross over and neither have I wings to fly
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-5----7--8-10---8----7---5-3---7---5---3-----------------3----2---3----------
+--------------------------------------------4-----2---2----------------------
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-------------^----------------------------------------------------------------
Give me a boat that can carry two and both shall row my love and I
Traditional song, performed by Karla Bonoff and James Taylor on
'Restless Nights' album, Karla Bonoff.
--
*******************************************************************
* KSBerczik / Bellcore *
* Learning Support / Piscataway, NJ *
* ksb@cc.bellcore.com (work) / ksberczik@aol.com (home) *
*******************************************************************
* Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists *
* elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to *
* contact us. -- Calvin *
*******************************************************************
How to play The Water Is Wide
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 D. 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.