Down by
the river
G C D G
1. City life was getting us down, so we spent a weekend out of town,
Em Am - D G
pitched our
tent on a patch of ground, down by
the river.
G C D G
Lit a fire and drank some
wine, you put your jeans on top of mine,
Em
Am - D G
said, "Come in, the
water's fine", down by the
river.
G C D
G
Down by the river, down by the river,
Em Am
- D G
I said, "Come in, the water's fine", down by the river.
G C D G
2. Didn't feel too good all night, so we took a walk in the morning
light,
Em Am
- D G
we came across the strangest
sight, down by the river.
G C D G
Silver fish lay on its side, it was washed up by the early tide,
Em Am - D
G
I wonder how it died, down by the river.
G
C D G
Down by the river, down by the river,
Em Am - D
G
a silver fish lay on its side, down by the river.
G C D G
3. Doctor put us both in bed, he dosed us up
and shook his head,
Em
Am - D G
"Only foolish people
go", he said, “down by the
river”.
G C D G
"Why do willows weep ?" said he, "Because they're dying gradually,
Em Am
- D G
from the
waste from the factories, down by
the river”.
G
C D
G
Down by the river, down by the river,
Em Am
- D G - A
"Why do willows weep?" said he, down
by the river.
A D E A
4. In time the river banks will die, the reed will wilt and ducks won't
fly,
F#m Bm - E A
there'll be a tear in the
otter's eye, down by the river.
A D
The banks will soon be black
and dead,
E A
and were the otter raised his
head,
F#m
Bm - E A
will be a
clean white stone instead, down by
the river.
A D E A
Down by the river, down by the river,
F#m
Bm - E A
the banks will soon be black and dead, down by the river.
A D E A
Down by the river, down by the river,
F#m
Bm - E - - - - - - - - - A
the banks will soon be black and dead, down by the river.
A - D - E - A - F#m - Bm - E - A (3x)
…….
(original = capo 3rd)
(Albert Hammond)