COMMENTS: I’ve transcribed the song in E.
If you detune your guitar a semi-tone and place a capo on the second fret –
this chord progression matches pretty closely what Ian Moss plays live on his
acoustic sets, although the original Cold Chisel song was in A.
I’ve also included some extra notes in the chords to help pick (^) out the bass line.
The D (bass F#) is probably the trickiest, try your thumb ! Good luck…..
[Intro]
E
Listen now to the wind babe
Em7
Listen now to the rain
A
I feel that water
E
lickin' at my feet again
Em D(bass F#) G G/E
I don't wanna see this town no more
Am G/E C
Wastin' my days on the factory floor
C7
First thing you know
B7 Em [Esus Em] x 4
I'll be back in Bow River again
[Verse 1]
Em
Any time you want babe
A
You can come around
C7 B7
Only six days separates me
Em
From the great top end
I've been workin' hard
Twelve hours a day
And the money I save
Won't buy my youth again
[Verse 2]
I'm going for the heat wave
And the tropical rain
And a place where no man's
Puttin' on the dog for me
I'm waitin' on the weekend
Set of brand new tyres
And back in Bow River
Just where I wanna be……ohh
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/c/cold_chisel/bow_river_crd_ver_2.html ]
[Chorus]
E
Listen now to the wind babe
Em7
Listen now to the rain
A E
I feel that water lickin' at my feet again
Em D(bass F#) G G/E
I don't wanna see this town no more
Am G/E C D
Too many years made up my mind
Em D(bass F#)G
To go or stay right to my
A B7
Dying day
Em D(bass F#) G G/E
I don't wanna see another engine line
Am G/E C
Too many years and I owe my mind
C7
The first set of wheels
B7 Em [Esus Em]
And back in Bow River again
C7
First thing you know
B7 Em [Esus Em]
I'll be back in Bow River again
[Break]
[Em D Em
A G A
C7 B7 Em (Esus Em)] x 2
[Em A C7 B7 Em (Esus Em)] x 4
[Verse 3]
I got the motor runnin'
I got the rest of my days
I sold everything I own
For just a song
So any time you want babe
You can come around
Don't you leave it too late
You just might find me gone…gone…gone
[Chorus]
[Finale: Chorus chord progression…from Em]
I don't need the score
I'm walkin’ out the door
I'm gonna tell the man
I don't want no more
Pick up a fast car
And burn my name in the road
One week, two week
Maybe even more
I'll piss all my money
Up against the damn wall
[First thing you know
I'll be back in Bow River again] x 3
Tuning:
E Em7 A Em D D G G/E Am C C7 B7 Esus
(bass
F#)
e|-0---0---0---0---2---2---3---3---0---0---0---2---0--
B|-0---0---2---0---3---3---0---0---2---1---1---0---0--
G|-1---0---2---0---2---2---0---0---3---0---3---2---2--
D|-2---0---2---2---0--^0---0---0---3---2---2---1---2--
A|-2---2---0---2---X---X---2--^2—-^0--^3---3---2---0--
E|-0---0---X---0--^2—--X--^3---X---X---X---X---X---0--
