This is the way it is played on "The River" album.  During the verses you should
pick the chords with basic pattern of bass-bass-1-3-2-1. In the chorus and 
bridge, you should be strumming with a down-down-up-up-down-up pattern.

INTRO
Em   G   D   Cadd9
Em   G   C....

VERSE 1
   Em                   G             D                 Cadd9
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                                G            G/F#    Em
Me and Mary we met in high school, when she was just seventeen
      Am                             G                     C
We'd ride out of that valley down to where the fields were green


CHORUS
         Em           C         D                   G
We'd go down to the river, And into the river we'd dive
    Em          C         D     Cadd9
Oh down to the river we'd ride

VERSE 2
      Em           G           D                     Cadd9
Then I got Mary pregnant, And man that was all she wrote
        Em               G                    C                  G
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
     C                                   G        G/F#       Em   
We went down to the courthouse, And the judge put it all to rest
      Am                                               G                 C
No wedding day smiles no walk down in the aisle, No flowers no wedding dress

CHORUS
                    Em         C           D                   G
That night we went down to the river, And into the river we'd dive
   Em            C           D    Cadd9
On down to the river we did ride

HARMONICA SOLO (repeat verse structure)

VERSE 3
  Em                    G                   D           Cadd9
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  
Now all them things that seemed so important
              G                  G/F#    Em      
Well mister they vanished right into the air
            Am                              G                   C
Now I just act like I don't remember, Mary acts like she don't care

BRIDGE
        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                                    G        G/F#    Em
Now those memories come back to haunt me, They haunt me like a curse
     Am                                    D                G
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true, Or is it something worse that sends me

CHORUS
Em            F            G                 C
Down to the river though I know the river is dry,
              Em          F     G
That sends me down to the river tonight
Em           C         D       G      Em        C         D      Cadd9
Down to the river, My baby and I, Oh down the river we'd ride
   Em     C         D       G      Em        C         D      Cadd9
oh oh oh oh oh oh 



Chords
       EADGBE
Em     022000
G      320003
D      XX0323
Cadd9  X32030
G/F#   220003
Am     X02210

• the river

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