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River Man by Nick Drake - Guitar Chords

Artist Nick Drake How to play the guitar chord F.jpg

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Version 1 Version 2
            Song: River man
Artist: Nick Drake
Composer: Nick Drake
Album: Five leaves left

Tabbed by DJ ('DiddyD') for ultimateGuitar- 28th Sept 2016

On the Aadd9 and the Amadd9 there is an alternating
E bass note throughout, but, for neatness, I've not shown
it against the lyrics. The intro shows roughly how the
pattern falls on the bars of 5/4, it's better to try
and get a groove going and not to over-think the rhythm.

TIME SIGNATURE: 5/4  (Five beats to each bar)

CAPO: 3rd fret
(Chords will then sound in the recorded key of C)

NOTE:  Please IGNORE ANY CHORD BOXES the website might
automatically suggest and use the typed shapes shown below.
The high E string isn't played:

Aadd9/E  = 00242x    C7sus2/G = 33033x    A13/E   = 00402x
Aadd9    = x0242x    F        = 13321x    Am13/E  = 00401x
Amadd9/E = 00241x    F(b5)    = 13320x   (Amadd9) = x0750x
Amadd9   = x0241x    A7-5/E   = 00204x

Please select a star rating for this tab, many thanks

=========================================================

[Intro]
   Aadd9/E Aadd9      Aadd9/E Aadd9
||:   /     /     /     /    /    :||  [x4]

[Verse 1]
Amadd9/E                            C7sus2/G
          Betty came by on her way----------,
                              F
Said she had a word to say-----------,
                     Aadd9/E
'Bout things today----------, and fallen leaves,
Amadd9/E                                 C7sus2/G
         Said she hadn't heard the news----------,
                                 F
Hadn't had the time to choose--------,
               Aadd9/E
A way to lose---------  what she believes

[Chorus]
Amadd9/E                           C7sus2/G
          Gonna see the river man----------,
                             F
Gonna tell him all I can---------,
                Aadd9/E
About the plan--------- for lilac time,
Amadd9/E                                 C7sus2/G
           If he tells me all he knows-----------,
                                  F
'Bout the way his river flows--------,
                     A7-5/E
And all night shows---------- in summertime 

[Break]
   F     F(b5)       F     F(b5)       F     F(b5)
|  /  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  /  |

   Aadd9/E Aadd9      Aadd9/E Aadd9
||:   /     /     /     /    /    :||  [x2]

   F     F(b5)       F     F(b5)       F     F(b5)
|  /  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  /  |  /  /  /  /  /  |

  Aadd9/E Aadd9      Aadd9/E Aadd9
||:   /     /     /     /    /    :||  [x4]

[Verse 2]
Amadd9/E                                 C7sus2/G
           Betty said she prayed today-----------,
                            F
For the sky to blow away------------,
                Aadd9/E
Or maybe stay----------, ...she wasn't sure,
Amadd9/E                                       C7sus2/G
           For when she thought of summer rain---------,
                              F
Calling for her mind again--------,
                  Aadd9/E
She lost the pain--------, ...and stayed for more 

[Chorus]
Amadd9/E                             C7sus2/G
           Gonna see the river man-----------,
                             F
Gonna tell him all I can-----------,
                Aadd9/E
About the ban---------- ...on feeling free,
Amadd9/E                                 C7sus2/G
           If he tells me all he knows-----------,
                                  F
'Bout the way his river flows----------,
                 A7-5/E
I don't suppose--------- it's meant for me

[Coda]
A13/E
        Oh-----, how they come and go,
Am13/E                    A7-5/E
        Oh-----, how they come and go

Suggestion to end on:
(Amadd9)

======================================================

Additional unrecorded verse found in Nick's notebooks:

[Verse 3]
Amadd9/E                                C7sus2/G
            Betty fell behind a while-----------,
                                  F
Said she hadn't time to smile--------,
                  Aadd9/E
Or die in style----------, but still she tries,
Amadd9/E                                     C7sus2/G
           Said her time was drawing short-----------,
                                    F
Hadn't done the things she ought--------,
                       Aadd9/E
Where teacher taught----------, and father flies  
        

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