Chords + Lyrics | Under The Boardwalk
Intro
||: G (G B D D) | G (G B) :||
Verse 1
| G | G | D | D |
Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof.
| D | D | G | G |
And your shoes get so hot you wish your tired feet were fireproof.
Bridge 1
| C | C | G | G |
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah.
| G | D | G | G |
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be.
Chorus 1
| Em | Em |
(Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun.
| D | D |
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be havin’ some fun.
| Em | Em |
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above.
| D | D |
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be making love.
| Em N.C | Em N.C |
(Under the boardwalk) Boardwalk.
Verse 2
From the park, you hear the happy sound of the carousel.
Mm-hm, you can almost taste the hot dogs and french fries they sell.
Bridge 2
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah.
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be.
Chorus 2
(Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun.
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be havin’ some fun.
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above.
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be making love
(Under the boardwalk) Boardwalk.
Solo
| G | G | D | D |
| D | D | G | G |
Bridge 3
Oh, under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah.
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be.
Chorus 3
(Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun.
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be havin’ some fun.
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above.
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be fallin’ in love.
(Under the boardwalk) Boardwalk.
Under The Boardwalk Backing Track | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Under The Boardwalk. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 442Hz. In the backing track, I’ve done this job for you by detuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
Under The Boardwalk by The Drifters offers a great opportunity to recognise the I – V, IV – I, and VI – V chord movements. These progressions are essential to understanding many classic songs. For a deeper dive, check out my top 10 chord progression list.
Intro
Let’s break down each section to ensure you’re able to recognise all of the chords in Under The Boardwalk, starting with the intro:
||: G (G B D D) | G (G B) :||
The notes in brackets represent the iconic bass line. You can also transpose this bass line up an octave and incorporate it into an open-position G chord.
I’ve designed some TAB for this and all other sections, which you’ll find further own this guitar lesson.
Verse
For the verse (and solo), we’re looking at a simple I – V – I progression. In the key of G, the chords are:
| G (I) | G | D (V) | D |
| D | D | G | G |
Bridge
The bridge introduces an additional chord, starting with C (chord IV), creating the progression IV – I – V – I:
| C (IV) | C | G (I) | G |
| G | D (V) | G | G |
Chorus
For the chorus, the progression alternates between Em (VI) and D (V), like this:
||: Em (VI) | Em | D (V) | D :||
| Em N.C | Em N.C |
The TAB demonstrates how to turn Under The Boardwalk‘s chords into a single acoustic guitar part, rhythmically inspired by a percussion instrument called the güiro.
The picking pattern we get from this part is great practice, similar to how we approach Time Of Your Life and House Of The Rising Sun.
Once you’ve got the TAB down, a simple chord chart will serve as a great reference. Here’s one I made for you.
Under The Boardwalk Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
To write the bass line for the intro in the chord chart, use numbers (intervals) instead of letters. This way, you can easily adjust the key without changing the intervals.
The structure of the song is simple, with everything repeated three times, and the third verse being an instrumental solo.
You can download the chord chart as a PDF here: Under The Boardwalk chord chart PDF.
The chart was created using iReal Pro, and you can access the file here: Under The Boardwalk iReal Pro.
With this and the iReal Pro app, you can change the key and add the intervals for the intro.
Under The Boardwalk | TAB
Let’s take a look at all sections of this tune using TAB, as if you were to play it on your own. Here’s the intro bass line—it does sound slightly odd since it’s played so high up.
Make sure you “rake” the first chord and let those strings ring. The reason we can’t play these notes lower is that the D on beat 4 can’t be played an octave down.
Next, here’s the verse. Practise this slowly at first. Once you get it, the rest of the song will be easy.
Here’s the bridge—it uses the same concept, just with one more chord. The progression spells IV – I – V – I.
Finally, the chorus. This is just VI – V and then stops at the end. Try a fast rake on the first strum in bar 5.
When you can play all sections on your own at a reasonable tempo, play along with the backing tracks and consider the difference between playing this on your own to in a band.
The Drifters’ Last Big Hit
Released in 1963, Under The Boardwalk became a massive hit for The Drifters, reaching #4 on the U.S. charts.
A few years prior, Ben E. King had departed the group, and they continued with lead singer Rudy Lewis. Tragically, just the night before recording Under The Boardwalk, Rudy passed away from a heroin overdose.
Most bands would have likely called it quits or at least postponed the session, but The Drifters were undeterred. Instead, Johnny Moore, another member of the group, stepped up to take on the vocals, helping Under The Boardwalk become their last big hit.
Since its release, many artists have recorded their own versions of the song, including The Rolling Stones, Sam & Dave, and even Bruce Willis!
It’s also become a staple for countless cover bands and solo performers, who have kept this early ’60s classic alive for generations.
Under The Boardwalk Chords: Continue Learning
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