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River by Joni Mitchell - Guitar Chords
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Version 1 Version 2 Version 3 Version 4 Version 5
Song: River
Artist: Joni Mitchell
Composer: Joni Mitchell
Album: Blue
Tabbed by DJ ('DiddyD' on ultimateGuitar-) 7th Nov 2015
This is my own interpretation for acoustic guitar to try to reflect an
element of Joni's piano arrangement. The intro and coda are not a literal
transcription of the piano, but intended to just give a flavour of those
Christmas riffs for those who may want to include them.
Played fingerstyle. For the C/G to G changes, play the G using the ring
finger on the 6th string, little finger on the 1st string, middle finger
on the 5th string. Then for the C/G chord move the middle finger to the
4th string and the index finger to the 2nd string. The ring and little
fingers stay where they are when alternating between the two chords.
CAPO: 5th fret (Will then sound in the recorded key of C)
[Descending riff Verses 3 & 6]
Cmaj7* Cmaj7#11 Cmaj7 Csus2
I made my ba---- by...
e |---3------2--------0---------|
B |---0------0--------0------3--|
G |--------------------------0--|
D |-----------------------------|
A |---3------3--------3------3--|
E |-----------------------------|
Chord names and fret positions are relative to the capo:
G = 320003 E4 = 022200 Am = x02210 Em9 = 020002
Em = 022000 D4 = xx0233 Bm7/A = x0443x Em11 = 020202
Cmaj7 = x32000 Dsus2 = xx0230 Am7 = x02213 C/D = xx0010
D = xx0232 C = x32010 Cmaj7 * = x32003 Cadd9 = x32030
C/G = 3x2013 Em/B = x22000 Cmaj7#11 = x32002 D5 = xx0235
Csus2 = x3003x A7sus4 = x02030
Please select a star rating for this tab, many thanks
========================================================================
[Intro]
G
e |-------------------|------------------|
B |--0--0-0---0--0-0--|--0---3-----------|
G |--0--0-0---0--0-0--|--0---0---0---2---|
D |-------------------|----------0---0---|
A |-------------------|------------------|
E |--3--3-3---3--3-3--|--3---3---3---3---|
Em
e |-------------------|------------------|
B |--0-0--0---0-------|--0---3-----------|
G |--0-0--0---0--2-2--|--0---0---0---2---|
D |--------------4-4--|----------0---0---|
A |-------------------|------------------|
E |--0-0--0---0--0-0--|--0---0---0---0---|
Cmaj7
e |-------------------|------------------|
B |--0-0--0---0-------|--0---3-----------|
G |--0-0--0---0-0--0--|--0---0---0---2---|
D |-------------0--0--|----------2---2---|
A |--3-3--3---3-3--3--|--3---3---3---3---|
E |-------------------|------------------|
D
e |--2------2----2---|--2--2----2---2----|
B |--3------3----3---|--3--3----3---3----|
G |------2-----2-0---|-------------------|
D |--0---------------|--4--4----2---0----|
A |------------------|-------------------|
E |------------------|-------------------|
[Verse 1]
C/G G C/G G
It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees,
C/G G C/G G
They're putting up reindeer, and singing songs of joy and peace,
Em E4 Em D D4 D Dsus2 D
Oh, I wish I had a ri - ver----- I could skate--- away on!| / / / / |
[Verse 2]
C/G G C/G G
But it don't snow here, stays pretty green,
C/G G C/G G
I'm gonna make a lot of money, then I'm gonna quit this crazy---- scene,
Em E4 Em D Dsus2 D
Ah, I wish I had a ri - ver---- I could skate--- away on! | / / / / |
[Verse 3]
C D C/D
I wish I had a river so long-------, I would...
G C Em/B Am Bm7/A Am7 Bm7/A
...Teach my feet to ...fly-------------------------------,
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
G C/D D Cmaj7 Cmaj7 *
Woh, I wish I had a riv - er ...I could skate a - way on, | / / / / |
Cmaj7* Cmaj7#11 Cmaj7 Csus2 G C/G G
I made my ba---- by ...cry---------!
Em9 Em11 Em D C/D D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 4]
C/G G C/G G
He tried hard to help me, you know, he put me at ease,
C/G G C/G G
And he loved me so naughty, made me weak in the knees,
Em E4 Em D D Dsus2 D
Oh, I wish I had a river------- I could skate--- away on! | / / / / |
[Verse 5]
C/G G C/G G
I'm so hard to handle, I'm selfish and I'm sad,
C/G G C/G G
Now I've gone and lost the best baby that I------ ever had,
Em E4 Em D D Dsus2
Oh, I wish I had a ri - ver----- I could skate---- away on! | / / / / |
[Verse 6]
C D C/D
I wish I had a river so long--------, I would...
G C Em/B Am Bm7/A Am7 Bm7/A
...Teach my feet to ...fly---------------------------------------------,
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Am7 G C/D D Cmaj7 Cadd9 C
Oh, I wish I had a riv - er ...I could skate away on, | / / / / |
Cmaj7* Cmaj7#11 Cmaj7 Csus2 G C/G G
I made my ba---- by say goodbye--------!
Em9 Em11 Em D C/D D
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 7]
C/G G C/G G
It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees,
C/G G C/G G
They're putting up reindeer, singing songs of joy and peace,
Em E4 Em Dsus2
I wish I had a ri - ver---- I could skate------ away----- on-----!
[Coda]
D Dsus2 D D5 Dsus2 Am
e |--2--2--2-----|--0--h2---2------|--2--5-----0--|---0----0----|
B |--3--3--3-----|--3-------3------|--3--3--3--3--|---1----1----|
G |--------------|-----------------|--------2-----|-------------|
D |--0--0--0--0--|--0---0---0---0--|--0--0--0--0--|-------------|
A |--------------|-----------------|--------------|---0----0----|
E |--------------|-----------------|--------------|-------------|
Cmaj7 Cadd9 Cmaj7 C Cadd9 Cmaj7
e |--0--0--0------|------0------0--|--0--3--------|---0---0-----|
B |--0--0--0------|---3-----3---3--|--0-----1--3--|---0---0-----|
G |---------------|---0------------|--------0-----|-------------|
D |---------------|----------------|--------------|-------------|
A |--3--3--3---3--|---3---------3--|--3-----3-----|---3---3-----|
E |---------------|----------------|--------------|-------------|
Am A7sus4 Am Am7 A4 Am
e |--0--0--0-----|------0-----0--|--0--3--------|---0-----0-----|
B |--1--1--1-----|--3------3--3--|--1-----1--3--|---1-----1-----|
G |--------------|--0------------|--------0-----|---------------|
D |--------------|---------------|--------------|---2-----2-----|
A |--0--0--0--0--|--0---------0--|--0-----0-----|-----0-----0---|
E |--------------|---------------|--------------|---------------|
Am
e |---0-------0-------|---0----------------||
B |---1-------1-------|---1----------------||
G |-------------------|--------------------||
D |---2-------2-------|---2-------2--------||
A |-----0---------0---|-------0--------0---||
E |-------------------|--------------------||
We also have 23 songs by Joni Mitchell
- A Case Of You
- All I Want
- Amelia
- Big Yellow Taxi
- Blue
- Both Sides Now
- Cactus Tree
- California
- Carey
- Chelsea Morning
- Court And Spark
- Coyote
- Free Man In Paris
- Help Me
- Little Green
- My Old Man
- Peoples Parties
- River
- The Circle Game
- Twisted
- Urge For Going
- Woodstock
- You Turn Me On Im A Radio
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