band – the river hymn lyrics
(the | means a new measure and the / means the b-ss note on the current chord.)
[piano intro slow gospel thang]
starts 3/4
improv/no time
f |bb |f/c |d- |d- /d /e |
the ladies would put the baskets on the table
f |bb/c |d- |g- / f/a
and the men would sit beneath a shady tree
|bb |f/c |d- |d-/c |
the children would listen to a fable
bb |a- |4/4 g7 |/ | meter
while something else came through to me
|f bb |f/c bb/d |f bb |f/c bb/d
the river got no end, just roll around the bend
|f bb |f/c bb |f |bb
then pretty soon the women would all join in
|f |f
on the river hymn…
|c/g /e |/c / |f/a / |f/f / |
the whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
c/g /e |/c / |f/a |c |f
we are gathered here to give a little thanks thanks
|3/4 bb |f/c |d- |d- /d /e |
the voice of the rapids will echo
f |bb/c |d- |g- / f/a |
and ricochet like an old water well
bb |f/c |d- |d-/c |
who d ever want to let go
bb |a- |4/4 g7 |/ | meter
once you sit beneath it’s spell
|f bb |f/c bb/d |f bb |f/c bb/d
it’s dark and wide and deep, towards the sea it creeps
|f bb |f/c bb |f |bb
i’m so glad i brought along my mandolin
|f |f d |
to play the river hymn…
g |g c |
you can ride on it or drink it
f |/ / g g/b |
poison it or dam it
c |/ / f f/a |
fish in it and wash in it
bb |c
swim in it and you can die in it
|f |c |f ||
run, you river, run
3/4 bb |f/c |d- |d- /d /e |
son, you ain’t never seen yourself
f |bb/c |d- |g- / f/a |
no crystal mirror can show it clear, come over here instead
bb |f/c |d- |d-/c |
son, you ain’t never eased yourself
bb |a- |4/4 g7 |/ | meter
til you laid it down in a river bed
|f bb |f/c bb/d |f bb |f/c bb/d
if you hear a lonesome drone, it’s as common as a stone
|f bb |f/c bb |f |bb
and gets louder as the day grows dim
|f |f
that’s the river hymn…
|c/g /e |/c / |f/a / |f/f / |
the whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
c/g /e |/c / |f/a |c ||f |f ||
we are gathered here to give a little thanks thanks
Random Lyrics