This is a fun and easy song to play that everyone like to sing along with. There are basically three chords: D, A, and G (and D7 as a color chord).

Here’s a text file of the song that you can download and print out: margaritaville

Below is an audio of my band “Cheap Thrills” performing the song. I’ve always used the “easy strum” version of this song and have built my own rhythm parts around it. I like to use an alternating bass with the chord voicing throughout the song. If you would prefer to learn all the guitar parts like in the original Jimmy Buffett recording, then check out the tab for Margaritaville here.

Below are the complete chords and lyrics. If you notice in the performance above, I like to change the lyrics right after the “Some people claim…” and point the blame at someone in the room.

"Margaritaville"

D
Nibblin on sponge cake, watchin the sun bake, all of those tourist covered 
     A
with oil.  Strummin my six string, on my front porch swing, smell those 
                         D      D7
shrimp there beginnin to boil.
G      A                   D       D7  G              A               D   D7
Wastin away again in Margaritaville,   searchin for my lost shaker of salt.
G            A                    D  A     G            A
Some peolple claim that there's a woman to blame, but I know, it's nobody's
D
fault.
D
Don't know the reason, I stayed here all season.  Nothin to show but this 
             A
brand new tattoo.  But it's a real beauty, a Mexican cutie, how it got here 
            D     D7
I haven't a clue.
G      A                   D       D7  G              A               D   D7
Wastin away again in Margaritaville,   searchin for my lost shaker of salt.
G           A                    D  A     G            A
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame, now I think, hell it could
      D
be my fault.
D
I blew out my flip flop, stepped on a pop top, cut my heal had to cruise on 
     A
back home.  But there's booze in the blender, and soon it will render, that
                                     D    D7
frozen concoction that helps me hang on.
G      A                   D       D7  G              A               D   D7
Wastin away again in Margaritaville,   searchin for my lost shaker of salt.
G           A                    D  A     G            A
Some people claim that there's a woman to blame, but I know, it's my own 
     D      D7        G           A                    D  A     G
damn fault.  Yes and, some people claim that there's a woman to blame, and 
  A                      D
I know, it's my own damn fault.

http://gty.im/50996717