Written by Warren Zevon
Performed by Bob Dylan during the fall tour 2002
Tabbed by Eyolf Østrem

Below are two versions, with different capo positions. Since Zevon plays the song with a keyboard arrangement, the chords are only suggestions.

Dylan is generally faithful to Zevon’s version, with two small exceptions: he drops the C#m/g# in the second line, and he simplifies the bass run in the refrain lines to:

E/g# - A - B - E

Capo 1st fret

Chords:

C#m/g#   446654
Asus2    x02200 or 577600
E/g#     422100 or 476x00

Esus4    E

E                           A
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
E                    C#m/g#
Hoist the mainsail - here I come
A                Asus2              E/g#  /f# /e
Ain't no room on board for the insincere
E/f#      /g#
You're my witness
A        B   E
I'm your mutineer

I was born to rock the boat
Some may sink but we will float
Grab your coat - let's get out of here
You're my witness
I'm your mutineer

B/f#        C#m7/g#
Long ago we laughed at shadows
A                     E                  C#m
Lightning flashed and thunder followed us
         A             Esus4   E
It could never find us here
E/f#      /g#
You're my witness
A        B   E
I'm your mutineer

Long ago we laughed at shadows
Lightning flashed and thunder followed us
It could never find us here
You're my witness
I'm your mutineer

I was born to rock the boat
Some may sink but we will float
Grab your coat - let's get out of here
You're my witness
I'm your mutineer
You're my witness
I'm your mutineer

Version with capo 5th fret

Chords:

F/c    x33211 (or x33210)
Am/e   032210
Fsus2  133011
C/e    xx2010
C/d    xx0010

C                           F/c
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
C                    Am/e
Hoist the mainsail - here I come
F                Fsus2              C/e  /d /c
Ain't no room on board for the insincere
C/d       /e
You're my witness
F        G   C
I'm your mutineer

I was born to rock the boat
Some may sink but we will float
Grab your coat - let's get out of here
You're my witness
I'm your mutineer

G/d        Am/e
Long ago we laughed at shadows
F                     C                  Am
Lightning flashed and thunder followed us
         F             Csus4 C
It could never find us here
C/d       /e
You're my witness
F        G   C
I'm your mutineer