(The | means a new measure and the / means the bass note on the current chord.)
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[piano intro slow gospel thang]
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starts 3/4
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improv/no time
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F |Bb |F/C |D- |D- /D /E |
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The ladies would put the baskets on the table
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F |Bb/C |D- |G- / F/A
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And the men would sit beneath a shady tree
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|Bb |F/C |D- |D-/C |
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The children would listen to a fable
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Bb |A- |4/4 G7 |/ | meter
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While something else came through to me
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|F Bb |F/C Bb/D |F Bb |F/C Bb/D
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The river got no end, just roll around the bend
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|F Bb |F/C Bb |F |Bb
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Then pretty soon the women would all join in
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|F |F
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On the river hymn...
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|C/G /E |/C / |F/A / |F/F / |
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The whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
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C/G /E |/C / |F/A |C |F
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We are gathered here to give a little thanks thanks
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|3/4 Bb |F/C |D- |D- /D /E |
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The voice of the rapids will echo
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F |Bb/C |D- |G- / F/A |
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And ricochet like an old water well
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Bb |F/C |D- |D-/C |
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Who d ever want to let go
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Bb |A- |4/4 G7 |/ | meter
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Once you sit beneath its spell
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|F Bb |F/C Bb/D |F Bb |F/C Bb/D
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It's dark and wide and deep, towards the sea it creeps
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|F Bb |F/C Bb |F |Bb
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I'm so glad I brought along my mandolin
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|F |F D |
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To play the river hymn...
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G |G C |
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You can ride on it or drink it
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F |/ / G G/B |
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Poison it or dam it
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C |/ / F F/A |
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Fish in it and wash in it
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Bb |C
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Swim in it and you can die in it
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|F |C |F ||
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Run, you river, run
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3/4 Bb |F/C |D- |D- /D /E |
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Son, you ain't never seen yourself
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F |Bb/C |D- |G- / F/A |
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No crystal mirror can show it clear, come over here instead
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Bb |F/C |D- |D-/C |
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Son, you ain't never eased yourself
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Bb |A- |4/4 G7 |/ | meter
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Til you laid it down in a river bed
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|F Bb |F/C Bb/D |F Bb |F/C Bb/D
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If you hear a lonesome drone, it's as common as a stone
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|F Bb |F/C Bb |F |Bb
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And gets louder as the day grows dim
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|F |F
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That's the river hymn...
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|C/G /E |/C / |F/A / |F/F / |
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The whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
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C/G /E |/C / |F/A |C ||F |F ||
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We are gathered here to give a little thanks thanks
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The River Hymn
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The Band |