"The River" became a centerpiece of shows on some Springsteen tours. On the 'Born in the U.S.A.' tour, it was often preceded by a long, intense story from Springsteen about his battles with his father growing up, that would sometimes conclude in a good ending and sometimes not; the silence after the story would then be interrupted by the start of the harmonica part. Read more on Last.fm.

The River

intro

A|--------------------------------------------|
E|-----------3-----5--3---------5--3-5--------|
C|-4--3-4-6-------------3b--------------3b----|
G|--------------4------------4----------------|

solo

A|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------3-----5--3------------------------------------------------|
C|-4--3-4-6-------------3b---------------------------------------------|
G|--------------4------------4---4--4--7--7---9---7--9--7---9--7---9--7|

                                                                    
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------5--3-----------5--5---3-5--3----------3-----------------|
C|-------------3b----------------------3b---2-2----6--3b----------|
G|-4---4-------------4--------------------------------------------|


{c:HARMONICA INTRO}
[em] .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |[D] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  |
[em] .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  | .   .   .   .  |

I [em]come from down in the [G]valley
Where [D]mister when you're [C]young
They [em]bring you up to [G]do [C]like your daddy [G]done
Me and [C]Mary we met in high school
When [G]she was just [D]seven[em]teen
We'd [am]drive out of this valley down to [G]where the fields were [C]green

We'd go [em]down to the [C]river
And [D]into the river we'd [G]dive
Oh [em]down to the [C]river we'd [D]ri[C]de

Then [em]I got Mary [G]pregnant
And [D]man that was all she [C]wrote
And [em]for my nineteenth [G]birthday I got a union [C]card and a wedding [G]coat
We [C]went down to the courthouse
And the [G]judge put it [D]all to [em]rest
No [am]wedding day smiles, no walk down the aisle
No [G]flowers, no wedding [C]dress

That night we went [em]down to the [C]river
And [D]into the river we'd [G]dive
Oh [em]down to the [C]river we did [D]ri[C]de

{c:HARMONICA BREAK}
[em] .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |[D] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  |
[em] .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |
[C] .   .   .   .  | .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .  [D] .   .  |[em] .   .   .   .  |
[am] .   .   .   .  | .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  |

I [em]got a job working con[G]struction for the [D]Johnstown Compa[C]ny
But [em]lately there ain't been [G]much work on ac[C]count of the econo[G]my
Now [C]all them things that seemed so important
Well mister they [G]vanished right [D]into the [em]air
Now I just [am]act like I don't remember
Mary [G]acts like she don't [C]care

But I re[em]member us riding in my [G]brother's car
Her body [D]tan and wet down at the [C]reservoir
At [em]night on them banks I'd [G]lie awake
And pull her [C]close just to feel each [G]breath she'd take
Now those [C]memories come back to haunt me
They [G]haunt me [D]like a [em]curse
Is a [am]dream a lie if it don't come true
Or [G]is it something [C]worse,
That sends me [em]down to the [C]river
Though I [D]know the river is [G]dry
That sends me [em]down to the [C]river to[D]ni[C]ght
[em]Down to the [C]river
My [D]baby and [G]I
Oh [em]down to the [C]river we [D]ri[C]de

{c:FADE OUT}
[em] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  |[D] .   .   .   .  |[G] .   .   .   .  |
[em] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  |[D] .   .   .   .  |[C] .   .   .   .  :|

A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------3---3----5--3s5--3------------5--3--5-------|
C|-4--3s4-6----------------------4--4---------------4----|
G|-----------------4-------------------4-----------------|

S -> Slide

A|--------------------------------------------|
E|-----------3-----5--3---------5--3-5--------|
C|-4--3-4-6-------------3b--------------3b----|
G|--------------4------------4----------------|

INTRO: Em G D C Em G C

VERSE 1:
  Em                    G             D                  C
I come from down in the valley, where mister when you're young
     Em              G   C               G
They bring you up to do, like your daddy done
       C                                G            D    Em
Me and Mary we met in high school, when she was just seventeen
     Am                                G                     C
We'd drive out of this valley, down to where the fields were green

CHORUS:
        Em          C          D                   G
We'd go down to the river, and into the river we'd dive
        Em          C          D   C
Oh, oh, down to the river we'd ride

VERSE 2:
     Em         G             D                    C
Then I got Mary pregnant, and man that was all she wrote
    Em                G                       C                   G
And for my nineteenth birthday, I got a union card, and a wedding coat
   C                                    G            D      Em
We went down to the courthouse, and the judge put it all to rest
   Am                                             G                   C               
No wedding day smiles, no walk down the aisle, no flowers, no wedding dress

CHORUS:
                   Em          C         D                   G    
That night we went down to the river and into the river we'd dive
        Em          C            D   C
Oh, oh, down to the river we did ride

HARMONICA SOLO (verse chords): Em G D C   Em G C G   C G D Em  Am G C

VERSE 3: 
  Em                   G                  D              C
I got a job working construction, for the Johnstown company
    Em                      G               C                 G
But lately there ain't been much work, on account of the economy
     C                                                           G              D        Em
Now, all them things that seemed so important, well, mister they vanished right into the air 
           Am                              G                   C 
Now I just act like I don't remember, Mary acts like she don't care

VERSE 4:
        Em                     G                       D                       C
But I remember us riding in my brother's car, her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
   Em                      G                       C                       G
At night on them banks I'd lie awake, and pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take
          C                                    G        D      Em
Now those memories come back to haunt me, they haunt me like a curse
     Am                                    G               C             
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true, or is it something worse

CHORUS:
              Em          C               D                 G
That sends me down to the river, though I know the river is dry
              Em          C       D    C
That sends me down to the river tonight

CHORUS:
Em          C         D        G
Down to the river, my baby and I
        Em          C        D   C
oh, oh, down to the river we ride

ENDING (chorus chords to fade): Em C D G  Em C D C

[intro]
F Am Dm Am A# Dm Gm C

[Verse 1]
             F 
Baby really hurt me
                Am 
crying in the taxi
                Dm
He dont wanna know me
                         Am                     A#     Dm
says you make the big mistake of dancing in my store 
Gm                  C
   Says it was poison
                 F
So I guess I go home 
          Am                     Dm
into the arms of the girl that I love
                Am 
the only love I havent screwed up
A#                  Dm
   She's so hard to please
             Gm      C  
but shes a forest fire
        F               
I do my best to meet her demands
Am
play it romance
         Dm
we slow dance in the living room
    Am                      A#
but all that a stranger would see
        Dm           Gm               C     
is one girl swaying alone stroking her cheek

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Verse 2]
            F 
The truth is, I am toy
                Dm
that people enjoy
                Am               A#
till all of the tricks dont work anymore
Dm              Gm       C
And then they are bored of me
             
                    F
I know that its exciting
                     Am
running through the night but
              Dm                Am
every perfect summer's eating me alive
            A#    Dm
unitl youre gone
Gm          C
Better on my own

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Outro]
             Dm           F           A#
They're gonna watch me disappear into the sun
                 Dm        F           A#
You're all gonna watch me disappear into the sun

Liability

Intro:

Bb - F - A

F                 C
I've been feeling lonesome
F                            C
I'm down, don't know what to do
D
I let you lie to me
F
plant seeds inside
            E
to see them grow
                      F
only to leave them to die

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
    A
for you

F                  C
I've been lost and finding
F                           C
out that I've been such a fool
D           
you thought you'd stick around
F
until the day you found
    E                    F
someone to make me obsolete

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm F
why cry
    Bb
for you... 


Guitar Solo:

Bb - F - A (2x)

  C     
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
    A
for you

Why Cry

Intro  D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 1
    D                              Bm7
We never spoke a word, but every thought she had 
                         G     A Asus A
I heard from across the room 
             D                               Bm7
If we were standin' face to face I couldn't find the words 
               G               A Asus A
To say give me one more move 
        G              A             G                   A
I don't even know her name, I guess foolish pride's to blame


Chorus 
          D                        D7
Now, I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
        Bm7                 F#              G                    A
And my heart won't tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
        Bm7 A   G                              Gm
Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Interlude   D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 2
          D                           Bm7
Wise man next to me did say 'bout the one that got away
        G                    A
Son, I missed my chance 
           D                            Bm7
Don't you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase
     G               A
Ask her to dance, go on, son
           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith


Chorus
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A   G                               Gm
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away 


Solo   D    Bm7  Bm  F#  G   A  D    D7    Bm  F# |A   D 


           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith
 
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A    Bm7 A       Bm7 A       G                      G   
Don't be fallin', fallin' in, fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Outro  (G)   Gm  Bm7  E G  Gm  D

As She's Walking Away

INTRO:

A |---------------------|
E |--7--7--7----------- -|
C |---------------------|
G |---------------------|

VERSE 1:   

C#m          E       B      A                     C#m   E    B   A 
I’m going away to be alone I’m coming back with answers
C#m           E            B    A            C#m   E   B   A
Don’t try to call my telephone it’s disconnected
C#m           E          B       A               C#m   E   B   A
And I don’t know where I’m going but can you guide me
C#m              E        B        A              C#m   E   B   A
But if I find love where I’m going will it survive me


PRE-CHORUS 1:

C#m            B   A                         C#m         A   B
‘Cause in your own space you’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not affected
C#m         B   A                           C#m         A   B
And in your own time you’re still attracted but in your own life


CHORUS:

A                                 C#m            B
This heart attack I’ve gotta get away not coming back
A                                 C#m                     B
I want some downtime so call me when you can and I’ll be fine


VERSE 2: [same chords as VERSE1]
I’ve found the time to be alone I don’t know what you’re asking
I’m waiting by the telephone and you’re still barking
My heart stops it isn’t… going could you revive me
I think I’m lost without knowing so come and find me


PRE-CHORUS 2:  [same chords as PRE-CHORUS1]
‘Cause in the same space we’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not attracted
But in your own life over reacted and in your own time


{CHORUS x2}


Sometimes if we don’t go sometimes you don’t know
You don’t go I don’t go I don’t go you don’t go

C#5  B5  A5                      C#5  A5  B5
            I’ve got your back              but you don’t got mine
C#5  E5  A5                    C#5  A5  B5
            This heart attack              then I’m feeling fine


CHORUS x2

C#m          E       B    A 
I’m going away to be alone
C#m          E       B    A 
I'm going away to be alone ...............

This Heart Attack

D G D A D x 2

D
I been loved and I been alone
G
all my life I been a rolling stone
D
done everything a man can do
G	                       C	D
everything but get a hold on you
C			D
done everything a man can do
G	D 	A 	D
everything but get a hold on you

D
I've been blessed and I've been cursed
G
all my lies have been unrehearsed
D	
a wall of fire that I walked through
G			C	D
only trying to get a hold on you
C				D
a wall of fire that I walked through
G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

G	D	A	D

A
I saw you waiting at the gate
D
but I arrived a moment late 
A
I saw you shed a single tear
G	D	A	D
but still I can't get there from here

D
I been high and I been low
G
I been people that I don't know 
D
I been to China and to Peru

G			C    D
only trying to get a hold on you
C			D
I been to China and to Peru
G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

G	D	A	D
only trying to get a hold on you

Hold On You

C#                                A                   E
Mass romantic fool, wears Foster Grants, his books on tape ring true,
                               F#                          C#
Like everyone wants to say "I love you" to someone on the radio.
                                                A
His choice of hollowed stars, now the one true loves,
           E                                     F#
And author of "My Life Among the Kids Who Go to Shows".
        C#
This is not the way.

                   B
In the streetlight dawn 
F#                 C#
In the streetlight dawn 
                G#  F#  C#
this beat turns on.

C#  D#  C#  B  C#

C#                                A
Mass romantic fool, separated by sheets.
                 E
When the curtain calls
                                     F#                       C#
you speaking on the themes of stolen virtue, missing from the radio.
                                   A                  E
Now this romantic duel is into the streets. Bon appetit.
                F#
You've eaten me alive.
                    C#
You realize this is not the way.


                   B
In the streetlight dawn
F#                 C#
In the streetlight dawn 
                G#  F#  C#
this beat turns on.

C#  D#  C#  B  C#

C#                               A
Mass romantic fool, separated by sheets.
                 E
When the curtain calls
                                     F#                       C#
you speaking on the themes of stolen virtue, missing from the radio.
                                   A                  E
Now this romantic duel is into the streets. Bon appetit.
                 
You've eaten me alive.
     F#              C#
You realize this is not the way.


                    B
In the streetlight dawn
F#                  C#
In the streetlight dawn 
                 G#  F#  C#
this beat turns on.

C#  D#  C#  B  C#


B                A               E
This boy's life among the electrical lights.

Mass Romantic

Riff:
|3-----------6-------------------|3-----------6---------------|
|3-------6/8-6-----------8-------|3-------6/8-6-----------8---|
|3-------5/7-7-----------7-------|3-------5/7-7-----------7---|
|0-------------------------------|0---------------------------|
Repeat 2x


| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
He got joo joo eyeball he one holy roller

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please

| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
He wear no shoe shine he got toe jam football
He got monkey finger he shoot Coca-Cola

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He say,"I know you and you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

| Am - - G7 | F7 - G7 - |
Come together right now over me



Repeat Riff



| Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - | Cm - - - |
He bag production he got walrus gumboot
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker

| G7 - - - | G7 - - Gb7 | F7 - - - | - - - - |
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease

| Am - - G7 | F7 - G7 - |
Come together right now over me


Repeat Riff

Come Together

Intro: F#, D

F#                             D
Pinwheel spark break loose and roll 
E         A           D
where you stop nobody knows 
       E                B
just a thought but gone down 
          D             (Dsus)     D
it's been carved into a point understand 

            A                             F#
turned into someone that you only know 
            D                    E
when you're falling through your clothes 


run run run deep breath then jump 
roll with your vertigo stomp 
now you're clear but gone down 
you've been cleared of every charge understand 

you've turned into someone that you only know 
when you're falling through your clothes

End with A

Falling Through Your Clothes

LA RE
Jo et duré a casa si fa mal temps
MI FA#m
Jo t’empararé si un cas tens por
SIm MI
Jo te cuidaré si estàs malalta
RE LA
De tot cor, de tot cor
RE REm LA
De tot cor

MI RE DO#m-SIm-LA

FA#m DO#m
Estic a punt d’anar-me’n
RE LA RE
Mes abans de partir et diré
REm LA
Que et duc dins es pensament

FA#m DO#m
No deix de recordar-te
RE LA RE
I alen els teus alens tot calents
REm SIm MI
De lluny i de prop me tens


Jo et duré...

FA#m DO#m
I a dalt de s’escenari
RE LA RE
Quan estic concentrat cantant
REm MI
Jo sempre te tenc present

FA#m DO#m
Perquè m’ets necessari
RE LA
Com s’aire que respir
RE REm SIm MI
Necessit estar amb tu en tot moment


Jo et duré... ( bis )

De tot cor

[Verse 1]
 G                              D
You like New York City in the daytime
 Bm                   A
I like New York City in the nighttime
 G                          D
You say you like sleeping with the air off
Bm                  A
I don't, I need it on
G                  D
You like the light coming through the windows
 Bm                      A
I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed
G                  D
You ignore the music on the radio
Bm                 A
I don't, I sing-a-long


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change


[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time


[Verse 2]
G                        D
Cold outside and you're just in a T-shirt
Bm                   A
I have cold blood even in a sweater
G                         D
You start your night sippin' by the Kilo
Bm                   A
I don't, I know you know


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change



[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                   A
(We don't even know, know, know, know, know)




[Bridge]
G                          D
Somehow we end up on the same side
Bm                          A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright
G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine
G                         D
Somehow we end up on the same side (up on the same side)
Bm                            A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright

(Think that we'd be alright)

G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine


[Chorus]

 N.C.                     D
(Oh)Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                  A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why

(But we don't even know why)
G                D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)

G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]

N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm             A
We like it in the nighttime

The River

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