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Capo: 3 Tuning: D A D F# A D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Goin' Down To the River Mississippi Fred McDowell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tabbed by: Connor O. Tuning: Open D Capo: 3rd (F C F A C F) Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TyzAAwJnIw I found a good explanation of the lyrics. See link below Post #11 in the thread. http://www.bluestalk.com/forum/showthread.php?8702-quot-Going-Down-to-the-River-quot-please-help-with-lyrics I put the text in the bottom of this tab incase the link dies I didn't include anything to indicate which notes are played on slide and which aren't because it's pretty easy to tell which ones are played with a slide and which aren't. Key: where # represents a fret number #h# - hammer #p# - pull / \ - slides, up and down respectively. x - mute * - time keeper. if you played a steady baseline, you'd see the notes are displayed in the tab in the correct chronological order. Intro: 0:00 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X2 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ Verse 1: 0:03 Lord I'm gon a way dar' F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-----------0-------0---0-----------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ lin F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------3/5-----5---5-------5---5-----------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:09 Ho ney don't you wan na go F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------2/3-----2/3-0-----------------------| A|---------------------------------1---0-----------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X3 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:19 Oh I'm goin' somewhere F|-------------0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---| C|-------------3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---| A|-------------3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-----------| C|-3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-----------| A|-3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-----------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ U aint ne ver been be fore F|-------------2/3-----0---------------------------| C|-------------------------0---3---0---------------| A|-------------------------------------1---0-------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:27 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X3 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:34 Oh you know I'm goin' down to the river baby F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|-----------------------------------------------------------------------0---| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------0-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:38 river baby F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------3/5-----5---5-------5---5-----------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:40 I'm 'on' sit down on the ground F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------2/3-----2/3---------0---------------| A|-------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|-------------------------0-------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:43 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X3 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:50 Oh you know I'm going down to the river F|-------------0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---| C|-------------2-------2---2-------2---2-------2---2-------2---| A|-------------1-------1---1-------1---1-------1---1-------1---| F|-------------------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ I'm 'on' sit down on the ground F|-0-------------------0---------------------------------------| C|-2~p~0-------------------2/3-----2/3-2/3-----0---------------| A|-1~p~0-------------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|---------------------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------------------| F|---------0---0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 0:57 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X2 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:01 I'm let the waves of water F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3~/~5---5---5~/~3---0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:04 Let the waves of water, honey F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3~/~5---5---3-------0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:06 baby wash F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3~/~5---5---3~/~5---0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:09 my troubles down F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------0---------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-3-------0---3-----------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:10 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X2 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ Solo: 1:15 F|---------0---0~/~2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-2---2---2---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---4---| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:20 F|-4---4---4---2---2---2---2---2---1---0---9---7---| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-5---3---3---2---3---2---0-----------------------| C|---------------------------------3/5-3/5-----3/5-| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:25 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-3/5-----3/5-5-------5---5~\~3---0---------------| A|-------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ Verse 2: 1:27 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X2 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:31 Oh I'm getting slow, baby F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|-----------------------------------------------------------------------0---| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------0-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:35 I can hard ly rest at night F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------2/3-----3---x-----------------------| A|-------------------------x-----------1~p~0-------| F|-------------------------x-------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:37 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X3 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:44 Oh you know I'm gettin' slow darlin' You know F|-------------0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---| C|-------------2-------2---2-------2---2-------2---2-------2---| A|-------------1-------1---1-------1---1-------1---1-------1---| F|-------------------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:47 I can har dly Rest at night F|-0-----------------------------------------------------------x-----------------------| C|-2~p~0-------------------2/3-----2/3-2/3-----2/3-2/3-----2/3-x-----------------------| A|-1~p~0---------------------------------------------------------------1~p~0-----------| F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|---------0---0-----------------------------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:52 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X3 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 1:59 I know my baby F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3~/~5---0---5-------0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:00 She ain't F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3~/~5---5---5-------0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:03 treat me right F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|---------------------0---------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-3-------0---3-----------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:04 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ Solo 2: 2:07 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------5\3-----5\3-5\3-----5\3-5\3-----5\3-| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-5\3-----5\3-5\3-----5---5-------5---5-------5---| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:11 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-3/5\3---0---------------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0---------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X2 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ Verse 3: 2:17 Lord I'm goin' down in Louisiana babe F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|-----------------------------------------------------------------------0---| C|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------0-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:21 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:23 I believe I'll chain my gloom F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------2/3-----2/3-0-----------------------| A|---------------------------------1---0-----------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:25 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| X3 C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:32 You know I'm goin down in Louisiana F|-------------0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-----------| C|-------------3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3~p~0-------| A|-------------3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3-------3---3~p~0-------| F|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------------------------------------------------------------------0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:36 I believe Ill chain my gloom F|-------------2/3-----2/3-0-----------------------| C|-----------------------------3~p~0---------------| A|-------------------------------------1~p~0-------| F|---------------------------------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-----------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:38 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------0-----------------------------------| A|-------------1~p~0-------------------------------| F|---------------------0-----------------------0---| C|-------------------------------------3/5---------| F|-0-------0---------------3/4-----0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:40 Lord them teasin browns, I declare they are the bouy F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3-------------------0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:42 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-0-------0---0-------0---3~/~5---5---3~/~5---0---| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ 2:45 F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------2-----------| A|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------0-----------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-3-------0---3-------------------0---------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ F|-------------------------------------0-----------| C|-3-----------------------------------0-----------| A|-------------------------------------0-----------| F|-------------------------------------------------| C|-------------------------------------------------| F|-------------------------------------------------| * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ * ^ ^ La, I’m goin' down-ay'n ("down there in") Lous-yana, baby. I believe, honey, I'll chair my hook. You know, I’m goin' down-ay'n Lous-yana. I believe I’ll chair my gloom. Lawd, dem teasin' brown! I declare days ("they", w/calque plural -s) are dey ("the") bouy. He uses the words "hook" and "gloom" in the last verse, from two different very old colloquial expressions associated with the blues (depression, that is) and fishing. In the older version, he intends to carry his rocking chair down to the river to fish (hence, "chair his hook", tie it to the chair leg so he doesn't have to focus) and can wait for the blues to pass him by (hence, "chair his gloom", lit., to sit somewhere and let the blues pass you by). "Chair my gloom" carries the additional connotation of parking it at the bar (the "watering hole"), as well, depending on the context. Since he follows this up with "dem teasin' brown", which means the "quadroon" ladies (legally classified as "brown", not "black") and describes them as "the buoy" (for his depression), he completes the extended metaphor of the fishing analogy. Either way, where he's going he can chair his hook and his gloom, likewise. Reproduction and rhyme, as someone noted, were not elements of the blues. These came much later, after commercialization. (Similar adaptations occured in the transition from bluegrass and folk to commercialized country/western.) To speculate his dissatisfaction at the brown ladies rejecting him is off the mark, though. "Teasin'" means flirtatious and coquettish, a la les coquettes (the "baby-doll" courtesans of New Orleans). "Dem teasin' brown" he's talking about would have made good on their promises, no worries there.