The River
Joe Bonamassa
Tabbed By: Brennan Lentz
aka: Vaughanabe13
Tuning on the recording: F major slide tuning. Tune to an open E chord from
standard tuning, and then raise every note a half step up to F major tuning.
*note* some parts in this song Joe plays with a slide and some he just uses
fingers. I'll try to notate which part is which but use your ears to figure
the rest out.
Intro:
(no slide, played clean on probably a resonator or acoustic)
F-----0--3b-0--0-----------0--------------------0---------------------|
C--0-3-0-----0-3/5-3-0-3-0---------------------(0)--------------------|
A--------------------------1h2p1--------------------------------------|
F--------------------------------3p0---0--0---------------------------|
C-----------------------------------0-3-------------------------------|
F----------------------------------------3--0-------------------------|
0:00 Down by the river..
F-----0--3~-0--0---0----0----------------------------------------------|
C--0-3-0-----0-3-0-3-0-------------------------------------------------|
A-----------------------1h2p1------------------------------------------|
F-----------------------------3p0----0--3~-0---0---0-------------------|
C---------------------------------0-3-------0-3------------------------|
F-------------------------------------0----------3---0-----------------|
0:09 That's where I,
broke down and
F-------------------------------------------0----------------------|
C------------------------------------------(0)---------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------|
F-----------0---3~--0----------------0-----------------------------|
C-------0-3---0------0-3/5-3-0-3-0---------------------------------|
F---0-3----------------------------3---0---------------------------|
0:18 Down by the river..
cried....
F-----0--3~-0--0----0---0---0-0-(0)-------------------------------------|
c--0-3-0-----0-3/5--3/5-3-0-3-------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------1h2p1----------------------------------|
F--------------------------------------3p0---0--3~-0---0---0------------|
C-----------------------------------------0-3-------0-3-----------------|
F---------------------------------------------0---------0-3--0----------|
0:25 Where I could
just lay down and
F-----------------------------------------0-------------|
C----------------------------------------(0)------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
F-----------0--3~--0----------------0-------------------|
C------0-2h3-0------0-3/5-3-0-3-0-----------------------|
F---0-3---------------------------3---0-----------------|
0:35 die... I'm goin'
F-----0-----0-------0--------0-----0------0--------0-----0-------0---|
C-------0-----0---0--------0---0----0---0---0----0---0-----0---0-----|
A--------------------------------------------------------------------|
F--------------------------------------------------------------------|
C--3------3-----3------3--2------2----2------2-1-------1-----1-------|
F--------------------------------------------------------------------|
0:42
down to the river, for long as I can stand. Mama told me son,
F--------0-------0--------0-----0-----0-------0-------0-----0-----0---|
C------0---0---0---0-------0------0-----0---0-------0---0----0---0-0--|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------|
F----0-------0----------0---------------------------------------------|
C------------------------------3-----3----3-----3--2------2----2------|
F--3----------------3p0-----------------------------------------------|
0:51
as she took ahold of my hand. Water runs so deep...Deep as all my pain
F-------0-----0-------0-----------------0------------------------|
C---------0-----0---0------------------2-------------------------|
A-------------------------------------1--------------------------|
F------------------------------------0-----------------------5---|
C-----1-----1-----1------0----------2------------------------5---|
F------------------------0---------0-------------------------5---|
1:00 Down by the river, honey... Lord can I be saved?
Riff 1: (Heavy distortion on electric slide guitar)
F------0-------0-------0-------------|
C------0-------0-------0-------------|
A------------------------------------| X 2, then
F--3-0---3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3--5--|
C--3-0---3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3--5--|
F--3-0---3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3--5--|
1:09
F----------------------------------------------------------------------|
C-3/5~--11/12-11/12-12-12/11------------------------15~-/12\-----------|
A---------------------------11------10-12~-----13/15----/12\-----------|
F------------------------------12---------------------------12--12-10~-|
C---------------------------------12--------------------------12-------|
F-----------------------------------------3h5-0------------------------|
1:21
VERSE 1:
..I said
F--------0---------0-----------------------------------------------|
C--------0---------0-----3-0-3-0----3/5--3--0--3--0----------------|
A-------(0)-------(0)----------------------------------1/3/1-------|
F--0----(0)---0---(0)----------------------------------------3-0---|
C--0----(0)---0---(0)----------------------------------------------|
F--0----(0)---0---(0)--0-------------------------------------------|
1:33
Down by the riv-ah That's where I....broke down and cried.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/joe_bonamassa/river_tab.html ]
F-----------0-------0---------------------0----------0----|
C-----------0-------0---------------------0----------0----|
A-----------------------------------------0----------0----|
F-----3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3-3-----0-----------0---------|
C-----3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3-3-----0-----------0---------|
F--0--3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3-3-----0-----------0---------|
1:40 I said Down by the riv-er
F----------------------------------------------|
C----3-0-3-0----3/5--3--0--3--0----------------|
A----------------------------------1/3/1-------|
F----------------------------------------3-0---|
C----------------------------------------------|
F--0-------------------------------------------|
1:49
That's where I....broke down and cried.
F-----------0-------0-----------------0--0--0---0----------|
C-----------0-------0------------------0--0-----0----------|
A-----------------------------------3-----------3----------|
F-----3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3-3-----x-----------x----------|
C-----3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3-3-----3-----------3----------|
F--0--3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3-3----------------------------|
1:53 I said Down by the river
*note* this is just a loose transcription. Listen for strumming!
F----0--0--0-------0-----------------0--0--0--0--0---------|
C-----0--0---------0-----------------0----0--0---0---------|
A--1---------------1-----------------1-----------1---------|
F--x---------------x-----------------x-----------x---------|
C--2---------------2-----------------1-----------1---------|
F----------------------------------------------------------|
2:01
Heartache soaked in wine, I'm just looking for redemption,
F------------0------------0--0--0---0---0-----0--0----|
C------------0------------0--0----0---0-------0---0---|
A------------0------------0--3----------------3----3--|
F------0------------0--------x----------------x-------|
C------0------------0--------3----------------3-------|
F---3--0------------0---------------------------------|
2:07
but the water's so unkind. Brought me to my knees,
F----0----0---0---0---------0-----0----0--0---0---------|
C----0------0---0---0-------0-----0----0----0-0---------|
A----1----------------------1-----1----1------1---------|
F----x----------------------x-----x----x------x---------|
C----2----------------------2-----1----1------1---------|
F-----------------------------------------------------0-|
2:13
As I Drowned in the pouring rain. Down by the river, honey,
F---------------------------------------|
C---------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------|
F--3--5----------(5)--------------5-----|
C--3--5----------(5)--------------5-----|
F--3--5----------(5)--------------5-----|
2:20 I still see your face
F------0-------0-------0-------------|
C------0-------0-------0-------------|
A------------------------------------| X 2,
F--3-0---3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3--5--|
C--3-0---3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3--5--|
F--3-0---3-5-0---5-3-0---5-3-0-3--5--|
VERSE 2:
I said, sometime around midnight,
They've come knocking at my door.
I said, sometime around midnight
Hellhounds found what they're looking for
Those flashin' lights tell me,
Didn't have to say a word.
Someone took my baby,
Someone took away my world.
All they found was a letter
I should'a never let her go
The river's the only witness
The only one who knows
Slide Guitar Solo:
F--/12--12\10-0--10\12-12-----------------------------------------------|
C--/12--12\10-0--10\12-12--------15--15--12\11---11/12-11/12--11--------|
A-------------0--------------/15---15------------11/12-----------11-----|
F---------------------------------------------12--------------------12--|
C-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
F-----------------------12\---------------------------------------------|
3:38
F------------------------------------------------------------------|
C------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------|
F--/3-0---3/5-------3/5-3-0-3-0---0------12/15-15/17-17/15-15/12---|
C-------0-----3-0-3-------------0---3/5--12/15-15/17-17/15-15/12---|
F------------------------------------------------------------------|
3:45
F----------------------------------------------12----------------------|
C-------------------------------------------------12/17--15-12\11------|
A----------------------------------------------------------------12----|
F-12-15-12---12/15-15/17-17/15-15/12--12-15-12---------------------12--|
C-12-15-12---12/15-15/17-17/15-15/12--12-15-12-------------------------|
F----------------------------------------------------------------------|
3:52
F-----------------------------|
C-----------------------------|
A-----------------------------|
F--3~-0----------3/5-5\3-0-3--| (And the wind...)
C------0-3/5\3-0--------------|
F-----------------------------|
4:00
VERSE 3:
And the wind whispers her name
And all those lonesome years
The water turns to whiskey
I drown in my own tears
Down by the river
I see my life in the flames
Down by the river, honey
I call out your name, yeah
I call out your name
F------12-------15-------17-------------|
C------12-------15-------17-------------|
A---------------------------------------| X 2,
F--3-0----3-5-0----5-3-0----5-3-0-3--3--|
C--3-0----3-5-0----5-3-0----5-3-0-3--3--|
F--3-0----3-5-0----5-3-0----5-3-0-3--3--|
I call out your name
F-------------------------------------|
C-------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------|
F--3-0---0-3-0---0-3-0---5-3-0-3---3--|
C--3-0---0-3-0---0-3-0---5-3-0-3---3--|
F--3-0---0-3-0---0-3-0---5-3-0-3-0-3--|
F---------------------------------|
C---------------------------------|
A---------------------------------|
F--3-0---3-0---3-0---5-3-0-3---3--| x 4 (end)
C--3-0---3-0---3-0---5-3-0-3---3--|
F--3-0---3-0---3-0---5-3-0-3-0-3--|
(yeah)
