Down Easter Alexa Acoustic
Billy JoelVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
Chords Used:
Am7add11 F
E ---------0---|---------0----------|---3---|---1---|------|-------|
B ---------1---|---------1----------|---3---|---1---|------|-------|
G ---------2---|---------0----------|---0---|---2---|------|-------|
D ---------2---|---------0----------|---0---|---3---|------|-------|
A ---------0---|---------0----------|---2---|---3---|------|-------|
E ---------0---|---------x----------|---3---|---1---|------|--------|
The intro is the main part of the song that simulates waves crashing against the
of an old Downeaster fishing vessel. This is also played once very quickly after the
line of each verse as noted below.
Am7add11 -
Am7add11
Am7add11
Well I'm on the Downeaster Alexa
And I'm cruising through Block Island Sound
I have chartered a course to the Vineyard
But tonight I am Nantucket bound
We took on diesel back in Montauk yesterday
And left this morning from the bell in Gardiner's Bay
Like all the locals here I've had to sell my home
Too proud to leave, I worked my fingers to the bone
So I could own my Downeaster Alexa
And I go where the ocean is deep
There are giants out there in the canyons
And a good captain can't fall asleep
I got bills to pay and children who need clothes
I know there's fish out there but where, God only knows
They say these waters aren't what they used to be
But I've got people back on land who count on me
So when you see my Downeaster Alexa
And if you work with the rod and the reel
Tell my wife I am trolling Atlantis
And I still have my hands on the wheel
Now I drive my Downeaster Alexa
More and more miles from shore every year
Since they told me I can't sell no stripers
And there's no luck in sword fishing here
I was a bay man like my father was before
Can't make a living as a bay man anymore
There aint much future for a man who works the sea
There ain't no island left for islanders like me
Ya, ya, ya yo
Ya, ya, ya yo
Ya, ya, ya yo
Ya, ya, ya yo
End it with: Am Am7add11 Am
==Song Facts==
Downeaster Alexa: In the first verse of the song, Billy Joel establishes that hes a
working on a Downeaster fishing vessel called the Alexa. There is an actual fishing
berthed along the coast of Maine called the Alexa (note: Maines coast is often referred
as Down East.
Block Island Sound, Vineyard, Nantucket: The song is written for the mariners working in
North Eastern United States, and so many of the geographical places are mentioned,
Block Island Sound (a nautical passage way off of Long Islands East End and near
and of course the actual Block Island), the Vineyard refers to Marthas Vineyard, an
that is much like the Hamptons, once predominantly a fishing village is now quite
and used primarily as a summer resort for those who can afford it. Nantucket Island, a fairly
island off of Massachusetts is similar in back story to Marthas Vineyard.
Montauk is the eastern most point of Long Island and often associated with the famous
Many fishing vessels port in Montauk and the surrounding areas. Prior to the wealthy
the Hamptons, the whole south fork used to be a working class cluster of fishing
This is also relatively near Gardiners Bay, which is one of the bodies of water that
the north and south forks of Long Island.
There is a single political point to the song that is delivered using two primary
The point is that making a living as a mariner is becoming a lot harder as the fish become
Hence the line theres no luck in sword fishing here. The second example is the use
the word islander.
Islander: In the line there aint no island left for islanders like me Joel isnt
about a specific island and it would be foolish to think that hes specifically talking
all of Long Island. A great majority of Americas North Eastern fishing industry is
up of families living on islands all up the coast, from New York to Maine. In fact, the
of Maine is often referred to as down east and inspired the term Downeaster. Down
is often used in travel magazines and in everyday lingo that refer to the coast of Maine.
From the Cranberry Isles to the islands of Casco Bay, all the way down to Cape Cod and
Vineyard, nearly every working resident of these communities can relate to the
because this song was in fact written about ALL of them. The line there aint no
left for islanders like me also refers to the Hamptonization of these islands and that
becoming tougher for fishermen to make their living on the water for the reason that
cant afford to be on the waterfront with the wealthy moving into these areas.
Like all musical pieces, meanings can be interpreted any which way you relate to it. I
up in a small fishing community in Maine and am well versed in geography, the north east
industries and based on my knowledge of the world in which this song is set, this is the
accurate translation I have been able to come up with. Suffice to say, Im sure
Joel has a far more personal back story than any of us could ever relate.
Source: Songsterr · Rights holder? Request removal.
Readable chord sheet for Down Easter Alexa Acoustic by Billy Joel
Chords Used:
[Am] Am7add11 [G] [F]
E ---------0---|---------0----------|---3---|---1---|------|-------|
B ---------1---|---------1----------|---3---|---1---|------|-------|
G ---------2---|---------0----------|---0---|---2---|------|-------|
D ---------2---|---------0----------|---0---|---3---|------|-------|
A ---------0---|---------0----------|---2---|---3---|------|-------|
E ---------0---|---------x----------|---3---|---1---|------|--------|
The intro is the main part of the song that simulates waves crashing against the
of an old Downeaster fishing vessel. This is also played once very quickly after the
line of each verse as noted below.
[Am] Am7add11 [Am] - [G]
[Am] Am7add11 [Am] [G]
[Am] Am7add11 [Am]
Well I'm [C]on the Down[G]easter Ale[Am]xa [Am7add11] [Am]
And I'm [C]cruising through [G]Block Island So[F]und
I have [F]chartered a [C]course to the Vin[Dm]eyard
But tonig[C]ht I am [G]Nantucket bound[F]
We took on [G]diesel back in [C]Montauk yesterday[F]
And left this [G]morning from the be[Am]ll in Gardiner's Bay[G] [F]
Like all the l[G]ocals here I've [C]had to sell[F] my home
Too proud to [G]leave, I worked my [Am]fingers to the bon[G]e
So I coul[C]d own my Do[G]wneaster A[Am]lex[Am7add11]a [Am]
And I go[C] where the ocean [G]is deep [F]
There a[F]re giants ou[C]t there in the ca[Dm]nyons
And a goo[C]d captai[G]n can't fall as[F]leep
I got bills[G] to pay and chi[C]ldren who need cl[F]othes
I know there's[G] fish out there but[Am] where, God only kno[G]ws [F]
They say these[G] waters aren't w[C]hat they us[F]ed to be
But I've got [G]people back on l[Am]and who count on [G]me
So when y[C]ou see my D[G]owneaster [Am]Ale[Am7add11]xa [Am]
And if you [C]work with the r[G]od and the r[F]eel
Tell my[F] wife I am t[C]rolling At[Dm]lantis
And I st[C]ill have my h[G]ands on the [F]wheel
[Am] [Am7add11] [Am] [G] [Am] [Am7add11] [Am] [G]
[Em]
[Am] [Am7add11] [Am] [G]
[Am] [Am7add11] [Am]
Now I dri[C]ve my Downe[G]aster Alex[Am]a [Am7add11] [Am]
More and[C] more miles from [G]shore every yea[F]r
Since t[F]hey told me [C]I can't sell no s[Dm]tripers
And there's n[C]o luck in s[G]word fishing h[F]ere
I was a bay[G] man like my fa[C]ther was [F]before
Can't make [G]a living as a b[Am]ay man anym[G]ore [F]
There aint much [G]future for a [C]man who work[F]s the sea
There ain't n[G]o island left for i[Am]slanders like me [G]
Ya, ya, ya[C] [G] yo [Am] [Am7add11] [Am]
Ya, ya, ya[C] [G] yo [Am] [Am7add11] [Am]
Ya, ya, ya[C] [G] yo [Am] [Am7add11] [Am]
Ya, ya, ya[C] [G] yo [Am] [Am7add11] [Am]
End it with: Am Am7add11 Am
==Song Facts==
Downeaster Alexa: In the first verse of the song, Billy Joel establishes that hes a
working on a Downeaster fishing vessel called the Alexa. There is an actual fishing
berthed along the coast of Maine called the Alexa (note: Maines coast is often referred
as Down East.
Block Island Sound, Vineyard, Nantucket: The song is written for the mariners working in
North Eastern United States, and so many of the geographical places are mentioned,
Block Island Sound (a nautical passage way off of Long Islands East End and near
and of course the actual Block Island), the Vineyard refers to Marthas Vineyard, an
that is much like the Hamptons, once predominantly a fishing village is now quite
and used primarily as a summer resort for those who can afford it. Nantucket Island, a fairly
island off of Massachusetts is similar in back story to Marthas Vineyard.
Montauk is the eastern most point of Long Island and often associated with the famous
Many fishing vessels port in Montauk and the surrounding areas. Prior to the wealthy
the Hamptons, the whole south fork used to be a working class cluster of fishing
This is also relatively near Gardiners Bay, which is one of the bodies of water that
the north and south forks of Long Island.
There is a single political point to the song that is delivered using two primary
The point is that making a living as a mariner is becoming a lot harder as the fish become
Hence the line theres no luck in sword fishing here. The second example is the use
the word islander.
Islander: In the line there aint no island left for islanders like me Joel isnt
about a specific island and it would be foolish to think that hes specifically talking
all of Long Island. A great majority of Americas North Eastern fishing industry is
up of families living on islands all up the coast, from New York to Maine. In fact, the
of Maine is often referred to as down east and inspired the term Downeaster. Down
is often used in travel magazines and in everyday lingo that refer to the coast of Maine.
From the Cranberry Isles to the islands of Casco Bay, all the way down to Cape Cod and
Vineyard, nearly every working resident of these communities can relate to the
because this song was in fact written about ALL of them. The line there aint no
left for islanders like me also refers to the Hamptonization of these islands and that
becoming tougher for fishermen to make their living on the water for the reason that
cant afford to be on the waterfront with the wealthy moving into these areas.
Like all musical pieces, meanings can be interpreted any which way you relate to it. I
up in a small fishing community in Maine and am well versed in geography, the north east
industries and based on my knowledge of the world in which this song is set, this is the
accurate translation I have been able to come up with. Suffice to say, Im sure
Joel has a far more personal back story than any of us could ever relate.