Bruce Springsteen - The River: Guitar Chords
Learn to play "The River" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.
Navigate quickly to the section you need:
- Chords and Lyrics - Jump straight to the song's lyrics and chord overlay.
- Chord Diagrams and Key Transposition - Access chord diagrams and learn how to transpose the key of the song to suit your voice.
Learn The River Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen
This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "The River" smoothly on your guitar.
For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.
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 when she was just seventeen Am We'd drive out of this valley, G C down to where the fields were green Chorus: Em C We'd go down to the river, D G and into the river we'd dive Em C D C Oh, down to the river we'd ride Then I got Mary pregnant And, man, that was all she wrote And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat We went down to the courthouse And the judge put it all to rest No wedding day smiles, no walk down the aisle No flowers, no wedding dress Chorus: That night we went down to the river And into the river we'd dive Oh, down to the river we did ride Ah-yah I got a job working construction For the Johnstown Company But lately there ain't been much work On account of the economy Now all them things that seemed so important Well, mister, they vanished right into the air Now I just act like I don't remember And Mary acts like she don't care 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 Em Now those memories come back to haunt me, G D Em 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: That sends me down to the river Though I know the river is dry That sends me down to the river tonight Ah-yah-yah Down to the river My baby and I Oh, down to the river we ride Ah-yah-ay Ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh Ooh Ooh, ooh Ooh You can simplify chords by removing barre | TransposeReset Font SizeReset Guitar Chord DiagramsAm  C  D  Em  F#  G  Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably. |
If you are also interested in learning how to play "The River" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "The River" by Bruce Springsteen.