Johnny Cash - Muddy Waters: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Muddy Waters" 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.

Learn Muddy Waters Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Johnny Cash

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 "Muddy Waters" smoothly on your guitar.

For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.

Cm             G            Cm
Mary grab the baby river's risin'
D#          Fm               G7
Muddy water taking back the land
Cm                   G                  Cm
Old frame house she can't take no more beatin'
                  G               Cm
Ain't no use to stay and make a stand

Well, the morning light showed water in the valley
Daddy's grave just went below the line
Things to save, you just can't take them with you
The flood will swallow all you leave behind

Chorus:
D#                         A#7
Won't be back to start all over
D#                              G7
Cause what I've held before is gone
Cm              G                Cm
Mary take the child the river's risin'
D#           G              Cm
Muddy water taking back my home

The road is gone, there's just one way to leave here
Turn my back on what I've left below, oh
Shifting lands, broken farms around me
Muddy waters changing all I know

Chorus:
Hard to say just what I'm losing
I've never felt so all alone
Mary, take the child, river's rising
Muddy water taking back my home

Chorus:
Won't be back to start all over
Cause what I felt before is gone
Mary take the child, the river’s rising
Muddy water taking back my home.
That muddy water taking back my home
Muddy water’s taking back my home.
Lord muddy water taking back my home


You can simplify chords by removing barre

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Simplify chords by removing barre

Guitar Chord Diagrams

A#7

Guitar chord A#7

Cm

Guitar chord Cm

D#

Guitar chord D#

Fm

Guitar chord Fm

G

Guitar chord G

G7

Guitar chord G7

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 "Muddy Waters" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Muddy Waters" by Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash Song List