Back Water Blues chords by Dave Van Ronk

Chords with lyrics

Dave Van Ronk - Backwater Blues
This is a pretty simple blues chord progression, it goes F#7/B7/C#7.
If you wanted to capo on 2, it could go E7/A7/B7, but I prefer to just do bar chords for the whole gig.


Intro: F#7F#7

F#7F#7                B7B7           F#7F#7
Well it rained five days and the skies turned dark as night
B7B7                            F#7F#7
Yes it rained five days and the skies turned dark as night
C#7C#7           B7B7              F#7F#7
There's a trouble takin' place in the lowlands at night

F#7F#7              B7B7           F#7F#7
I woke up this mornin', couldn't even get out of my door
B7B7                           F#7F#7
Yes woke up this mornin', couldn't even get out of my door
C#7C#7            B7B7            F#7F#7
Trouble make a poor boy wonder where he want to go

F#7F#7                B7B7           F#7F#7
And it thundrin and lightnin' and the wind began to blow
B7B7                           F#7F#7
Yes it thundered and lightnined' and the wind began to blow
C#7C#7           B7B7              F#7F#7
And there's a thousand people ain't got no place to go

F#7F#7                B7B7           F#7F#7
Well they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
B7B7                            F#7F#7
Yes they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
C#7C#7           B7B7              F#7F#7
Yes I packed my clothes, throwed them in it and they rowed me along

F#7F#7             B7B7        F#7F#7
I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
B7B7                           F#7F#7
You know I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
C#7C#7                   F#7F#7  (Fill here)
Yes I looked on the old house were I used to live

(This verse has a different picking pattern, but the chords are the same)
F#7F#7                B7B7        F#7F#7
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
B7B7                         F#7F#7
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
C#7C#7           B7B7              F#7F#7
Yes my house fell down and I can't live there no more

F#7F#7                B7B7           F#7F#7
Mmm, I can't move no more
B7B7                            F#7F#7
Mmm, I can't move no more
C#7C#7           B7B7              F#7F#7
Yes my house washed away and I can't live there no more