Nov122018

Mark Knopfler – Floating Away Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression and Tab

ChordsEm AEm/GB7 F#m7b5 CC/GGadd9/B G/B Bm7b5 E7 Am D/F#Gadd9GFm7b5 Esus4 Am7Am/EB7b9/F#DG7D/A

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This is the chord progression of Floating Away by Mark Knopfler on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

Em A | Em A | Em A | Em/G A x3
Em
It’s the weight I’m trying
A Em
To get inside the frame
A Em A Em/G A
I’ve been painting a fat man
Em A Em
He’s big and fat and heavy
A B7 F#m7b5 B7 B7
As a man can be
C C/G Gadd9/B G/B Bm7b5
But he’s been floating away
E7 E7 Am
Floating away
D/F# Gadd9 G B7
He’s been floating away from me

Em A Em
In the mirror my withering skin
A Em A Em/G A Em
Is a thorny pleasure
A
I stand unflinching
Em A B7 Fm7b5 B7 B7
And I mark each crease and sting
C C Gadd9/B
My brush my wooden flail
G/B Bm7b5 Bm7b5 Esus4 E7 Am7
My ancient thresher
F#m7b5
As unforgiving time
Am/E B7 B7b9/F# B7 B7
Flays everything

Em
It’s the truth I’m trying
A Em
To get inside the frame
A Em A Em/G A
Now I’m painting myself naked
Em A
But I need a pair of boots
Em A * B7 F#m7b5 B7 B7
About as heavy as boots can be
C C Gadd9/B G/B Bm7b5
Or I’d be floating away
E7 E7 Am
Floating away
D/F# Gadd9 G G
I’d be floating away from me
C
D G/B C Am D/F#
And every thorn sends thistledown
G7 G7
Drifting all around
C Gadd9/B G/B Bm7b5
And floating away
Esus4 E7 Am
Floating away
D/A G B7
Floating away from me

How to play Floating Away: key, chords and progression

Floating Away by Mark Knopfler is centred on E minor (one sharp: F♯). The song uses 23 chords: Em, A, Em/G, B7, F#m7b5, C, C/G, Gadd9/B, G/B, Bm7b5, E7 and Am and 11 more.

The backbone of the song is A – Em – A – Em/G (IV – i – IV – i in E minor). Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Good to know: F#m7b5, Gadd9/B, Bm7b5, Gadd9 and Fm7b5 are the tricky part on guitar (barre or movable shapes). Slow the change down until it is clean; on piano and ukulele they are simpler.