LYRICS
There’s a ship, and it sails a sea of light,
On it’s way to me tonight, from a distant shore,
Taking me home once more,
And the waves, and the whistle of the wind,
Makes me come alive again,
My destiny at my door.
Gonna’ leave this town forever,
And go where I never
need an overcoat no more,
Where they cry ......
Ooo- la- la- la- la ...... every night, every day,
Sitting by the Gulf Coast, just a thousand miles away,
Ooo- la- la- la- la ...... on an isle I will dwell,
Starlit nights in Paradise, on the isle of Sanibel.
There’s a girl, and I see her dressed in white,
As she lies there in the night, I can hear her cry,
Where has he gone and why?
But she knows, that someday he will arrive,
And it keeps her love alive,
Her dream can never die.
She looks across the ocean,
For sails in motion
in the early morning sky,
Where they cry ......
Ooo - la - la- la- la......
Angels of the Waters, Sirens of the Seas,
Whispering their sweet love songs,
Calling out to me,
(What a sweet, sweet, melody)
They cry ......
Ooo - la - la - la - la ......
“SANIBEL” CHORD CHARTS
INTRO G - G/C - G - G/C - G - G/C - G - D
VERSE 1 G Em
There’s a ship, and it sails a sea of light,
C Am7
On it’s way to me to-night, from a distant shore,
G C/G G D/F#
Taking me home once more,
G Em
And the waves, and the whistle of the wind,
C Dsus. D G
Make me come alive a-gain my destiny, at my door.
C Dsus D Em B sus B/D# Em
Gonna’ leave this town forever, and go where I never,
Am7 Dsus
Need an overcoat no more, where they cry .....
D/G G C/G G
CHORUS Ooo - la - la - la - la, every night everyday,
Em Bm Am7 Dsus
Sitting by the Gulf Coast, just a thousand miles away,
D/G G C/G G
They cry, Ooo- la-la-la-la, on an isle I will dwell,
C G D G
Starlit nights in Paradise, on the Isle of Sanibel.
VERSE 2 / CHORUS
F C/E G C/G G
BRIDGE Angels of the Water, Sirens of the Sea,
F C/E G D
Whispering their sweet love songs, calling out to me,
G - C/G - D/G - G
What a sweet, sweet melody, crying .....
CHORUS
“SANIBEL” GUITAR TIPS - “G” Tuning
The song was written and recorded in “G” tuning - the strings from low bass note to treble are tuned: D - G - D - G - B - D
Joni Mitchell uses it a lot on her classic ballads and Keith Richards uses it on almost everything. In “Sanibel”, it gives the track an airy, droning texture. If you play what would normally be a “C” chord, then omit fingering the 5th string, playing an open bass note instead, you get that “C/G” sound. Try moving the same form up two frets for the “D/G” sound, then move to the 5th fret, 4th string for a nice droning “G” chord. An “Am7” looks like a standard tuning “Em” with the 1st fret of the “B” string added (omit the bottom string). That same form played at the 9th fret gives you a spooky “Em”. A straight barre across the 5th and 7th frets gives you a “C” and “D” chord. “B7” is a barre straight across the 4th fret, and the 2nd finger on the 5th fret of the “B” string gives you that sus. chord feeling (“Go where I never ...”). For the “D” chord, open 6th, 2nd fret 5th, open 4th, 2nd fret 3rd, 3rd fret 2nd, open 1st string gives you that big bottom drone. For the chorus, play a standard tuning “A7” at the 7th fret, and that 1/2 “C” chord at the 8th. This is much simpler than it sounds. Mix and match these voicing, and you’ll come up with your own cool song.
Standard Tuning
Don’t be frightened by those chords with a “/” running through them. For example, “C/G” means play a “C” chord with a “G” note in the bass instead of the root. For the “D/G” on the chorus (“Ooo -la-la-la- ...”), finger a “D” chord and hold down the 3rd fret on the low “E” string with your thumb. It might feel weird, but you’ll get use to it. It’s a much richer voicing than a G or Gmaj. 7 - but if it gets too confusing, just keep it simple and play straight G, C, D, Am, etc.
GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN !
