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The River
Bruce Springsteen
Strum: D D U U D U
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Intro: / Em - - - / G - - - / D - - - / C - - - /
/ Am - - - / G - - - / C - - - / C - - - /
Em G D C
I come from down in the valley Where mister, when you're young
Em G C G
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
C (2)
Me and Mary we met in high school
G (1/2) G/F# (1/2) Em
When she was just seven - teen
Am (2)
We'd drive out of this valley down to
G C (2)
where the fields were green
Chorus 1:
Em C D G
We'd go down to the river And into the river we'd dive
Em C D C
Oh down to the river we’d ride
Em G D C
Then I got Mary pregnant And man, that was all she wrote
Em G C G
And for my 19th birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
C (2)
We went down to the courthouse
G (1/2) G/F# (1/2) Em
And the judge put it all to rest
Am (2)
No wedding day smiles, no walk down the aisle
G C
No flowers, no wedding dress
Chorus 2:
Em C D G
That night we went down to the river And into the river we'd dive
Em C D C
Oh down to the river we did ride
Instrumental Verse:
/ Em - - - / G - - - / D - - - / C - - - /
/ Em - - - / G - - - / C - - - / G - - - /
/ C - - - / - - - - / G - G/F# - / Em - - - /
/ Am - - - / - - - - / G - - - / C - - - / - - - - /
Em G D C
I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
Em G C G
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy
C (2)
Now all them things that seemed so important
G (1/2) G/F# (1/2) Em
Well mister they vanished right into the air
Am (2)
Now I just act like I don't remember
G C
Mary acts like she don't care
Em G
But I remember us riding in my brother's car
D C
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
Em G
At night on them banks I'd lie awake
C G
And pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take
C (2)
Now those memories come back to haunt me
G (1/2) G/F# (1/2) Em
They haunt me like a curse
Am (2)
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true
G C
Or is it something worse
Outro Chorus:
Em C D G
That sends me down to the river Though I know the river is dry
Em C D C
That sends me down to the river tonight
Em C D G
Down to the river my baby and I
Em C D C
Oh down to the river we ride
/ Em - - - / C - - - / D - - - / G - - - /
/ Em - - - / C - - - / D - - - / C - - - /
/ Em - - - / C - - - / D - - - / G - - - /
/ Em - - - / C - - - / D - - - / C - - - /
End on Em
This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
