The Riverbank chords by Paul Simon

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)


Time Sig: 2/2 140 BPM

Intro:
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Verse 1:
D
Frightened by the tone of a phone in the dead of night
                                                               Edim/D     D5
Then staring into darkness and praying till the morning light
    D
The price already paid, a son gone to the grave
        A7              D5                    D
Now the sorrowful parade to the riverbank

Verse 2:
D
Must be half the county come down to the riverbank
                                                    Edim/D        D
High school is closed, same for the local police
D                          G/D                    Gm
Shall we tearfully embrace, shall we sing “Amazing Grace”
D5              A7           D
Will the shallow river waters bring us peace

Chorus:
                     Dm
Army dude, only son, nowhere to run
D                     Dm
No one to turn to, he turns to the gun
       D                          Dm
It’s a cross, it’s a stone, it’s a fragment of bone
       D        Edim/D
It’s a long walk home
  G
A long walk home
           D    D7   A7
Gonna be a long walk home
         D
From the riverbank

Bridge:
D
Is there any reason why the black pine should not weep
                                                                          Edim/D
Is there a woman or a man who wouldn’t understand why he could not sleep
D                                G/D                  Gm      D5
And the nightmares when they came, like poison to the brain
         A7       D
Reminded him again life is cheap

Chorus:
                     Dm
Army dude, only son, nowhere to run
D                     Dm
No one to turn to, he turns to the gun
       D                          Dm
It’s a cross, it’s a stone, it’s a fragment of bone
       D        Edim/D
It’s a long walk home
  G
A long walk home
           D    D7   A7
Gonna be a long walk home
         D
From the riverbank

Verse 3:
D             G         D           G
Army dude’s mama at the edge of the river
D                                           Edim/D
Limp as a rag, American flag in her arms
       D                            G
Then a triangle of light kissed the red and blue and white
  D                A7
Along the riverbank, past the dealerships and farms

Outro:
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