The Clarks
The River
*Appears on the album Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen*
*Originally written by Bruce Springsteen*
[Intro]
Em G D C Am G C
[Verse 1]
Em G
I come from down in the valley
D C
Where mister when you're young
Em G C G
They bring you up to do, Like your daddy done
C
Me and Mary we met in high school,
G D/F# Em
She was just seventeen
Am
We'd drive out of this valley
G C
Down to where the fields were green
[Chorus 1]
Em C
We'd go down to the river
D G
And into the river we'd dive
D/F# Em C D C
Oh down to the river we'd ride
[Verse 2]
Em G D C
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 D/F# Em
We went down to the courthouse and the judge put it all to rest
Am
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
G C
No flowers no wedding dress
[Chorus 2]
Em C
We'd go down to the river
D G
And into the river we'd dive
D/F# Em C D C
Oh down to the river we'd ride
[Guitar Solo]
Em G D C
Em G C G
C G D/F# Em
Am G C
[Verse 3]
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
Now all those things that seemed so important
G D/F# Em
Well they just vanished in the air
Am G C
And I act like I don't remember, Mary acts like she don't care
Em G
And I remember us riding in my brother's car
D C
Her body tan and wet down by the reservoir
Em G
At night on them banks I'd lie awake
C G
And pull her close to feel each breath she'd take
C G D/F# Em
Those memories come back to haunt me, well they haunt me like a curse
Am
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true
G C
Or is it something worse
[Chorus 3]
Em C
And We'd go down to the river
D G
And into the river we'd dive
D/F# Em C D G
Oh down to the river we'd ride
Em C D G
Down to the river my baby and I
D/F# Em C D G
Oh down to the river we'd ride
Em G D C Em G C G Em G D C x2
Yeah Yeah Yeah the river we'd ride
Charted by Joshua Ballas