The Day The River Sang

 

Written by John Stewart

 

'The Day the River Sang' is on the most excellent 2006 Appleseed album of the same name.  What a great melody.  Sounds as if it´s been around for many, many years, but it´s brand new.  Please learn this song.

 

 

Capo 3rd fret

 

(C) (C5/B) (Am)  (Dm) (G)  (C) (C5/B) (Am)  (Dm) (G)

They were(C)travelers (C/B)in the (C)night,

They´re the (C/B)ones who (G)held the (C)light,

And they (Dm7)whispered (C/E)it's al(Dm)right

And the (C)Promise (G/D)came.

 

And there are (C)those who (C/B)rode the (C)line,

They´re the (C/B)keepers (G)of the (C)wine.

It all (Dm7)happens (C/E)in good (Dm)time,

And the (C)Promise (G/D)rang  (F)

The (G)Day the River (C)Sang. (C/B) (Am) (Am/G) (Dm)  (G)

 

And the (C)day I (C/B)first found (C)you,

That's (C/B)when I (G)heard the (C)clues,

And (Dm7)I knew that (C/E)it was (Dm)true

And the (C)Promise (G/D)came.

 

And we (C)stood be(C/B)neath the(C)trees

Where the (C/B)Vision (G)was to (C)be,

And it was (Dm7)only (C/E)you and (Dm)me

And the (C)Promise (G/D) came.  (F)

The (G)Day the River (Cj7)Sang, (C/B) (Am) (Am/G) (Dm)

The (G)Day the River (C)Sang. (C/B) (C)

 

We were (G)blessed, we were (G7)bruised,

We were (E)taken (E7 short/D)by the (Am)news,

And (F)oh, (C/E)oh, (Dm)oh,

When the (C)Promise (G/D)came,  (F)

The (G)Day the River (Cj7)Sang, (C/B) (Am) (Am/G) (Dm)

The (G)Day the River (C)Sang. (C/B) (C) (C/B)

The (G)Day the River (C)Sang. (C/B) (C) (C/B)

 

And the (C)day that the (C/B)cripple (C)stood

By the (C/B)man who (G)knew he (C)would,

But (Dm7)no one (C/E)thought he (Dm)could

And the (C)Promise (G/D)rang.

 

And (C)hearts can (C/B)win the (C)race,

Just (C/B)show a (G)little (C)faith,

Like (Dm7)Mary (C/E)full of (Dm)Grace,

And the (C)Promise (G/D)came  (F)

The (G)Day the River (Am)Sang, (F)

The (G)Day the River(C)Sang. (C/B) (C) (short hold)

(C) (C/B) (C)  (Fadd9) (F) (C)  (Dm7) (C/E) (Dm) (C) (G5/D)  (Dm7) (G) (C) (C/B) (C)

 

And you can almost (C/B)touch the (C)stars,

Like the (C/B)moon in (G)your back (C)yard,

And we (Dm7)played our (C/E)old gui(Dm)tars

And the (C)Promise (G/D)rang.

 

And (C)secrets (C/B)kept with(C)in,

Like there (C/B)is no (G)way to (C)win,

When did (Dm7)love be(C/E)come a (Dm)sin?

And the (C)Promise (G/D)came  (F)

The (G)Day the River (Cj7)Sang, (C/B) (Am) (Am/G) (Dm7)

The (G)Day that the River(C)Sang. (C/B) (C)

 

Send me the (C/B)doctors' (C)names

Who (C/B)really (G)are to (C)blame,

If the (Dm7)junkies (C/E)live in (Dm)pain

And the (C)Promise (G/D)rang  (F)

The (G)Day the River (Cj7)Sang, (C/B) (Am) (Am/G) (Dm7)

The (G)Day the River(C)Sang. (C/B) (C)

 

And if we could (C/B)all a(C)gree

That (C/B)we should (G)all be (C)free,

If (Dm7)we could (C/E)let it (Dm)be

And the (C)Promise (G/D)came,  (F)

To(G)day the River (C)Sang, (C/B) (Am) (Am/G) (Dm7)

The (G)Day the River (Am)Sang,  (F)

The (G)Day the River (C)Sang. (C/B) (C)(G/D)(C)

 

Additional verses in the album booklet:

 

When victory is ours

We're watching from the towers

Counting down the hours

Till the Promise rang

The Day the River Sang

 

When women shared the rings

To sanctify the thing

It is love, love, love

And the Promise rang

The Day Me River Sang

 

Who's invited to the feast

They all will be increased

And the women will be priests

As the Promise rang

The Day the River Sang

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

Art Faller, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Charlie Woodward

 

April 2006