Mar32022

Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld – Northwest Passage Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

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These are the chords for Northwest Passage by Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

INTRO:
G  D  C  Em  C  G D G  G  G  G

VERSE:
 C                 G
Westward from the Davis Strait,
      G                   D
'tis there 'twas said to lie
     C                G
The sea route to the Orient
     G        D    Em
for which so many died
 C                G
Seeking gold and glory,
         G          D      Em
leaving weathered, broken bones
       C
And a long-forgotten
 G      D        Em   Em D
lonely cairn of stones

CHORUS:
D        G        D
Ah, for just one time I would
 C                  Em
take the Northwest Passage
    C                G
To find the hand of Franklin
         Am       G        C
reaching for the Beaufort Sea
 D       G        D
Tracing one warm line through
   C                Em
a land so wild and savage
     C
And make a northwest
 G      D       G G G G
passage to the sea

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VERSE:
       C              G
Three centuries thereafter,
        G       Em  D
I take passage overland
        C                  G
In the footsteps of brave Kelso,
           G      D       Em
where his sea of flowers began
          C             G
Watching cities rise before me,
        G       D     Em
then behind me sink again
      C           G
This tardiest explorer,
 D       Em              D
driving hard across the plain

CHORUS:
D        G        D
Ah, for just one time I would
 C                  Em
take the Northwest Passage
    C                G
To find the hand of Franklin
         Am       G        C
reaching for the Beaufort Sea
 D       G        D
Tracing one warm line through
   C                Em
a land so wild and savage
     C
And make a northwest
 G      D       C  G
passage to the sea

INSTRUMENTAL/SOLO:
C  G  G Em D
C  G  G D Em
C  G  G D Em
C  G D Em Em Em Em7

VERSE:
 C                    G
Through the night, behind the wheel,
     G       Em       D
the mileage clicking west
   C             G
I think upon Mackenzie,
       G        D      Em7
David Thompson and the rest
     C                    G
Who cracked the mountain ramparts
     G       D       Em
and layed a path for me
    C                G
To race the roaring Fraser
D      Em Em D
to the sea

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

CHORUS:
D        G        D
Ah, for just one time I would
 C                  Em
take the Northwest Passage
    C                G
To find the hand of Franklin
         Am       G        C
reaching for the Beaufort Sea
 D       G        D
Tracing one warm line through
   C                Em
a land so wild and savage
     C                G      D
And make a northwest passage to
     G  G G G
the sea

VERSE:
Em     C            G
  How then am I so different from
       G         Em           D
  the first men through this way?
      C              G
Like them, I left a settled life,
   G        D   Em
I threw it all away
    C                G
To seek a northwest passage
        G       D   Em
at the call of many men
    C
To find there but the
 G         D     Em Em D
road back home again

CHORUS:
D        G        D
Ah, for just one time I would
 C                  Em
take the Northwest Passage
    C                G
To find the hand of Franklin
         Am       G        C
reaching for the Beaufort Sea
 D       G        D
Tracing one warm line through
   C                Em
a land so wild and savage
     C
And make a northwest
 G      D      Em  Em
passage to the sea
     C
And make a northwest
 G      D       G
passage to the sea

How to play Northwest Passage: key, chords and progression

Northwest Passage by Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld is in the key of G major (one sharp: F♯). The song uses 6 chords: G, D, C, Em, Am and Em7.

The progression the song keeps returning to is Em – C – G – D (vi – IV – I – V in G major), the “sensitive” minor-start rotation of the four-chord progression, a favourite in ballads and worship. In solfa, that is lah – fah – doh – soh. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Beginner-friendly: every chord is an open chord on guitar, so you can play it without a capo or barre chords.

Chord diagrams

Em7 chord on guitar (020000) — Em7E G B D

Northwest Passage chords: questions

What key is Northwest Passage in?

Northwest Passage by Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld is in the key of G major (one sharp: F♯).

What chords are in Northwest Passage?

Northwest Passage uses 6 chords: G, D, C, Em, Am, Em7.

What is the chord progression of Northwest Passage?

The main progression is Em – C – G – D (vi – IV – I – V), the “sensitive” minor-start rotation of the four-chord progression, a favourite in ballads and worship.

Is Northwest Passage easy to play on guitar?

Yes. Every chord is an open chord, so it suits beginners.

How to play Northwest Passage: key, chords and progression

Chord diagrams

Northwest Passage chords: questions

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