The River Chords

KeyD CapoNone TuningStandard Difficulty Plays1.4K

The River by Garth Brooks is a more advanced guitar song played in the key of D. It uses the chords G, A, D, G/D, D/F#, Em7, Bm, D#, A/C#, Asus, E, A/E, E/G#, F#m7, B, C#m, B/D# and B/A. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
D
Text
16
Speed
  			INTRO     G     A G     A G     A G      A D


D                              *D          G/D        D    *D
You know a dream is like a river ever changin' as it flows.
        G                     D/F#         Em7             A
And the dreamer's just a vessel  that must follow where it goes.
          D            G/D         D  *D          Bm                   G
Trying to learn from what's behind you, and never knowing what's in store
             D    G/D        D *D        A                D      #D#
Makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shores
           D    G/D  D    *D         G/D           D  *D
And I will sail my   vessel 'til the river runs dry.
       G               D/F#       Em7             A
Like a bird upon the wind,  these water's are my sky.
    Bm  A/C#  D        G/D  D    *D G
I'll never    reach my destination  if I never try.
           D    G/D  D    *D          A           D   #D#
So, I will sail my   vessel 'till the river runs dry.
2: Too many times we stand aside and let the water slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow has now become today.
So, don't you sit upon the shorline and say you're satisfied.
Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.
   (To Chorus:)

BRIDGE
A/C#        Bm                  G          D         D/F#      G 
And there's bound to be rough waters and I know I'll take some falls.
             Em7             D/F#           G                        Asus
But with the Good Lord as my captain, I can make it through them all.

(with key change)
            E    A/E  E              A/E          E
Yes, I will sail my vessel  'til the river runs dry.
       A                E/G#      F#m7           B
Like a bird upon the wind,  these water's are my sky.
    C#m  B/D# E        A/E  E      A
I'll never    reach my destination if I never try.
           E    A/E  E                B           E  F#m7  E/G#
So, I will sail my   vessel 'till the river runs dry.
A           E    A/E  E                B           A  B/A
Yes, I will sail my   vessel 'till the river runs dry.
A                B/A
  'til the river runs dry.
    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante