Chordyes

River Man

Nick Drake

Guitar Chords & Lyrics for River Man by Nick Drake in the key of E

Level: Intermediate Decade: 1960s Genre: Indie / Alternative Theme: Life / Motivation Mood: Sad / Melancholy View Lyrics Youtube 
Time Signature: 5/4, Count Pattern 123 12, 100 Bpm
Verse Chords: |Cm// // |/// // |Eb9// // |/// // |Abmaj7// // |/// // |C// // |/// // |
Chorus Chords: |Abmaj7// // |/// // |/// // |C// // |/// //|

Intro
E E E E

Verse 1
Em    Betty Came By On Her Way
G7    Said She Had A Word To Say
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    About Things Today
E    And Fallen Leaves

Verse 2
Em    Said She Hadn't Heard The News
G7    Hadn't Had The Time To Choose
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    A Way To Lose
E    But She Believes

Chorus
Em    Gonna See The River Man
G7    Gonna Tell Him All I Can
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    About The Plan
E    For Lilac Time

Verse 3
Em    If He Tells Me All He Knows
G#7    About The Way His River Flows
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    And All Night Shows
Eadd9(#4)    In Summertime
Eadd9(#4)

Instrumental
|Abmaj7// // |/// // |/// // |C// // |/// // |
|Abmaj7// // |/// // |/// // |C// // |/// // |
| E    // // |/// // |

Verse 4
Em    Betty Said She Prayed Today
G7    For The Sky To Blow Away
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    Or Maybe Stay
E    She Wasn't Sure

Verse 5
Em    For When She Thought Of Summer Rain
G7    Callin' For Her Mind Again
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    She Lost The Pain
E    And Stayed For More

Chorus
Em    Gonna See The River Man
G7    Gonna Tell Him All I Can
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    About The Plan
E    On Feelin' Free

Verse 5
Em    If He Tells Me All He Knows
G7    About The Way His River Flows
|Cmaj(Aj7)|
    I Don't Suppose
Eadd9(#4)    It's Meant For Me Eadd9(#4)          Eadd9(#4)          Eadd9(#4)​

Outro
Eadd9(#4)    Oh,HowEadd9(#4) They Come And Go? E   E​
Em    Oh,Em How They Come AnEadd9(#4)d Go?

Eadd9(#4)
Also available in: C (Original) D G A

FAQ

What are the chords for River Man?

The chords for River Man are: E, Em, G7, G#7, Eadd9(#4)

What is the original key of River Man?

The original key is C.

What is the difficulty of playing River Man?

The difficulty level is Intermediate.

Can I play River Man in another key?

Yes. You can transpose the song to any key using the transpose feature.

Can River Man be played on an acoustic guitar?

Yes. The chords work for both acoustic and electric guitar.

Can I play River Man on ukulele?

Chord River Man can be played on guitar or ukulele using their respective chord shapes.

How many chords are used in River Man?

River Man uses 5 chords: E, Em, G7, G#7, Eadd9(#4)

What is the easiest way to play River Man?

You can use the transpose feature to change the key to one that better matches your vocal range or uses easier chord shapes.

What decade was River Man released in?

River Man was released in the 1960s. See more 1960s songs here

Are there easier chord versions for River Man?

Yes. Tap the Simplify button to switch River Man to beginner-friendly chords - it drops advanced extensions like maj7, m7, and 9ths without changing the song's key or progression.

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