Drunken Sailor: Mandolin Tab
Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Key of Em · 120 BPM · 4/4 time · Sea shanty · Beginner
Chords used in this arrangement: Em, D, Bm.
"Drunken Sailor" turns has irish roots. The melody is shared with the traditional Irish folk song Óró Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile, and that connection makes sense when you learn that the sailors on the busy Liverpool-to-New York packet ships were almost entirely Irish, carrying their tunes aboard with them. The song was already being hollered on whaling ships out of New London, Connecticut by 1839, and back on working vessels it was a "walk-away" shanty. The crew literally marched down the deck hauling rope in time with the beat, which explains why it locks in so naturally at 120 BPM.
This page includes mandolin tablature, standard music notation, and a chord chart, printable as PDF and playable in sync with the original recording. Change the key, slow the tempo down, and loop the bars you want to practise. Download the Drunken Sailor PDF.
Drunken Sailor: questions and answers
What key is Drunken Sailor in?
Drunken Sailor is in E minor. The transpose control on this page moves the tab, notation and chords to any other key.
What chords are used in Drunken Sailor?
The chords in this arrangement are Em, D, Bm. The chord chart on this page shows each shape and highlights the current chord as the tune plays.
How fast is Drunken Sailor played?
This recording is at 120 BPM in 4/4 time. Use the speed control to slow it down without changing the pitch, then work back up to full tempo.
Is Drunken Sailor a good tune for beginners?
Yes. Drunken Sailor is rated beginner, so it suits players who are still learning their first tunes.
Can I download Drunken Sailor as sheet music?
Yes. A printable PDF with the mandolin tab and standard notation is free at /tab/drunken-sailor.pdf, and there is a download button on this page.
Related tunes
More in Em
- Drowsy Maggie (Em, 120 BPM)
- King of the Fairies (Em, 120 BPM)
- Cooley's Reel (Em, 120 BPM)
More folk and traditional tunes
- Liberty (John Dickinson and Arthur Lee,, D, 120 BPM)
- Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (D, 120 BPM)
- The Girl I Left Behind Me (G, 120 BPM)
- The Black Nag (Bm, 120 BPM)
- Haste to the Wedding (D, 120 BPM)
Browse more: Mandolin tabs, Tunes in the key of Em, Folk and traditional tunes, Beginner mandolin tabs, or see all songs and the chord charts.