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Train - Mermaid Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsF, G, Am, C, Dm, Em
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

[Opening]
[F] [G] [Am] [C] [F] [G] [Am] [C] [F] [G] [Am] [C] [Dm] [G] [Am]
[F]Can’t swim so I [G]took a boat, [Am]to an island so [C]remote
[F]Only Johnny [G]Depp has ever [Am]been to it [C]before
[F]I stayed there till the [G]air was clear I [Am]was bored and out of [C]tears
[Dm]Then I saw you washed up on [G]the shore

[verse 2]
[F]I offered [G]you my coat, [Am]thank god this [C]luck can flow
[F]Crazy how that [G]shipwreck met my [Am]ship was coming [C]in
[F]We talked till [G]the sun went down, [Am]love on the [C]puget sound
[Dm]My treasure map was on [Em]your skin

[chorus]
[Am]Beauty in the [C]water, [G]angel on [F]the beach
[Am]Ocean’s [C] [G]daughter, I thought [Em]love was out of reach
[Am]Till I [C]got her, had I [G]known it could come [Dm]through
I would have wished in [G]’92, for a mermaid [F]just [G]like [Am]you
[Am]Whoa, [F]just [G]like [Am]you, whoa

[verse 3]
[F]Sarks green with [G]envy within they [Am]wonder what you [C]see in me
[F]Funny thoughts [G]sometimes can’t help but [Am]wonder that as [C]well
[F]Now life is a [G]holiday, [Am]making up for the [C]years I paid
[Dm]The weight of this heavenly bay, it [Em]went through hell

[chorus]
[Am]Beauty in the [C]water, [G]angel on [F]the beach
[Am]Ocean’s [C] [G]daughter, I thought [Em]love was out of reach
[Am]Till I [C]got her, had I [G]known it could come [Dm]through
I would have wished in [G]’92, for a mermaid [F]just [G]like [Am]you
[Am]Whoa, [F]just [G]like [Am]you, whoa

[Closing]
[Am]Rescued you bout the banyan tree, [C]all the girl fish in the sea
[G]couldn’t hold a candle to you, they don’t have a handle on you
[F]They don’t have a scandal on you, I love eco sandals on you
[Am]Saving me was B-I-G , [G]all the boy fish in the sea
[Em]They all wish that they could be me
[F]Can’t swim so I to[G]ok a boat, t[Am]o an island s[C]o remote
[F]Only Johnny [G]Depp has ever [Am]been to it [C]before

[chorus]
[Am]Beauty in the [C]water, [G]angel on [F]the beach
[Am]Ocean’s [C] [G]daughter, I thought [Em]love was out of reach
[Am]Till I [C]got her, had I [G]known it could come [Dm]through
I would have wished in [G]’92, for a mermaid [F]just [G]like [Am]you
[Am]Whoa, [F]just [G]like [Am]you, whoa

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistTrain
AlbumCalifornia 37
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock
Year2012
KeyF

How to play Mermaid on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Train - Mermaid on guitar requires 6 chords and 12 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Mermaid uses these transitions most often: Am → C (24), G → Am (21), and F → G (20). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with F - G chord transition.

1. F → G chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from F to G;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
F to G

2. G → Am chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from G to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
G to Am

3. Am → C chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from Am to C;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
Am to C

4. C → F chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from C to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.
C to F

5. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

6. Dm → G chord transition

To move from Dm to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

7. Am → F chord transition

To move from Am to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

8. Dm → Em chord transition

To move from Dm to Em;

  1. While playing Dm, lift your index finger from E string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

9. Em → Am chord transition

To move from Em to Am;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

10. C → G chord transition

To move from C to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

11. G → Em chord transition

To move from G to Em;

  1. While playing G, lift your index finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Lift your middle finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

12. Em → F chord transition

To move from Em to F;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

Mermaid chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Mermaid.

  • Mermaid includes 127 chord transitions, 12 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Mermaid contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Mermaid connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → Am: 13%
    • G → F: 9%
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → F: 26%
    • Am → G: 21%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.