Sail Away Ladies (Don't You Rock me Daddy-O) - Chords, Lyrics and Origins
Origins
As with many folk songs, there is no one accepted version of 'Sail Away Ladies'. Different singers have slightly, or even very, different takes on the lyrics, and the arrangement. The words are pretty much a moveable feast. You can add verses or rearrange them to your heart's content. And the song can be played in many different styles: soulful-folk a la Joan Baez or Odetta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6sVPH8MhpM
Or it could be played as a country dance song with fiddle accompaniment as Uncle Dave Macon did it. Sail Away Ladies even formed the basis of the rock and roll song, 'Don't you Rock me Daddy-o', which was recorded by skiffle artists such as Lonnie Donegan and the Vipers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoJ8fi3zDCw
Chords
Capo at 3rd Fret
D G D
D A7 D
D G D
D A7 D
Ain't no use to sit and cry,
D G D
D G D
You'll be an angel by and by.
D G D
D
Don't you rock,
G
Don't you rock him,
D A7
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
G D G D
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
D G D
D A7 D
I got a home in Tennessee;
D G D
D G D
That's the place I'd like to be.
D G D
D
Don't you rock,
G
Don't you rock him,
D A7
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
G D G D
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
D G D
D A7 D
When I get my new house done,
D G D
D G D
Give my old one to my son
D G D
D
Don't you rock,
G
Don't you rock him,
D A7
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
G D G D
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
D G D
D A7 D
Ain't no use to sit and cry,
D G D
Sail away ladies, sail away;
D G D
You'll be an angel by and by.
D G D
Sail away ladies, sail away;
D
Don't you rock,
G
Don't you rock him,
D A7
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
G D G D
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
D G D
D A7 D
I got a home in Tennessee;
D G D
Sail away ladies, sail away;
D G D
That's the place I'd like to be.
D G D
Sail away ladies, sail away;
D
Don't you rock,
G
Don't you rock him,
D A7
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
G D G D
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
D G D
D A7 D
When I get my new house done,
D G D
Sail away ladies, sail away;
D G D
Give my old one to my son
D G D
Sail away ladies, sail away;
D
Don't you rock,
G
Don't you rock him,
D A7
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
G D
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o.
Lyrics
Ain't no use to sit and cry,
You'll be an angel by and by.
Don't you rock,
Don't you rock him,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
I got a home in Tennessee;
That's the place I'd like to be.
Don't you rock,
Don't you rock him,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o
When I get my new house done,
I'll give my old one to my son.
Don't you rock,
Don't you rock him,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o.
Ain't no use to sit and cry;
Sail away ladies, sail away;
You'll be an angel by and by;
Sail away ladies, sail away.
Don't you rock,
Don't you rock him,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o,
Don't you rock him, Daddy-o.
I got a home in Tennessee;
Sail away ladies, sail away;
That's the place I'd like to be;
Sail away ladies, sail away.
When I get my new house done;
Sail away ladies, sail away;
I'll give my old one to my son;
Sail away ladies, sail away.