“The River” is only on the “Secret Tapes ´86” cassette, Homecoming Records,

The River

Written by John Stewart

‘The River’ is only on the “Secret Tapes ´86” cassette, Homecoming Records, re-released as CD together with “Secret Tapes II”, Homecoming, 1987, as “Secret Tapes CD”, Neon Dreams, 2002, and on “Bullets in the Hour Glass”, Shanachie. 1992. Chris Mostert plays saxophone on both versions. Beautiful. What a great mystical, magical song...Close your eyes and LISTEN. “And I bring you the river, running free.”

You can start to dream then, and, maybe, think a little, but it may be best not to tell your brain where it should go. Beautiful singing and playing. Not one superfluous word or note.

We bring you both versions, first the one from “Secret Tapes”. Works well in normal tuning, too, but we suggest “Drop D-tuning” (tune down low E-string to D).

"Secret Tapes" version.

Capo 2nd fret

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D) (bass run D-D-E-D-B-A-B-A-F#-E-D)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D)

There was something in the moving train,

(Bm)Whistles in the pouring rain,

(D)Someone even calls your (G)name,

I am (A)gone.

And there´s (D)something in the sound of drums,

In the (Bm)rhythm as the river runs,

(D)Tells me you're the only (G)one

Here for (A7 short)me.

So I (Bm/F#)sing to the (G)river,

And I (Bm/F#)cling to the (G)river,

And I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (Bm/F#)free. (single notes on B-string:

c# hammer on d-c# hammer on d-c# b-d-e-c#-f#(on high E),

last note already on…)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D) (bass run D-D-E-D-B-A-B-A-F#-E-D)

There was something in the Southern sky,

In the (Bm)circle where the eagle flies,

(D)Wishing it was you and (G)I

On the (A)run

And there´s (D)something that I can't explain.

It´s the (Bm)something in the moving train,

Like the (D)river and the pouring (G)rain,

We are (A7 short)one.

So I (Bm/F#)cling to the (G)river,

As I (Bm/F#)sing to the (G)river,

And I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (Bm/F#)free. (single notes on B-string:

c#-c#, D bass-note, d-c# on B-string again)

And I (Bm/F#)sing, yeah, to the (G)river

And I (Bm/F#)cling, oh, to the (G)river

And I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (D)free.

(A) (G) (A7 short) (D) (bass run D-D-E-D-B-A-B-A-F#-E-D)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D) (bass run D-D-E-D-B-A-B-A-F#-E-D)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D) (bass run D-D-E-D-B-A-B-A-F#-E-D) fade…

janhauenstein@gmx.de, Charlie Woodward & Art Faller

"Bullets in the Hourglass" version.

Capo 2nd fret

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D, high notes run on high strings:

E-string:f#-g-f#-B-string-d) (A, on E-string:-e-G-string:-a)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D) (high notes run on high strings:

E-string: g-f#-B-string-d-G-string:-a)

There was something in the moving train,

(Bm)Whistles in the pouring rain,

(D)Someone even calls your (G)name,

I am (A)gone.

And there´s (D)something in the sound of drums,

In the (Bm)rhythm as the river runs,

(D)Tells me you're the only (G)one

Here for (A7 short)me.

So I (Bm/F#)sing to the (G)river,

As I (Bm/F#)cling to the (G)river,

And I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (Bm)free. (G) (A)

And there´s (D)something in the Southern sky,

In the (Bm)circle where the eagle flies,

And I´m(D)wishing it was you and (G)I

On the (A)run.

But there´s (D)something that I can't explain,

Like the (Bm)rhythm of a moving train,

Like the (D)river and the pouring (G)rain,

We are (A7 short)one.

So I (Bm/F#)sing to the (G)river,

As I (Bm/F#)cling to the (G)river,

As (G/F#)I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (Bm)free. (G) (A)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D, high notes run on high strings:

E-string:f#-g-f#-B-string-d) (A, on E-string:-e-G-string:-a)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D)

So I (Bm/F#)sing to the (G)river,

As I (Bm/F#)cling, oh, to the (G)river,

As (G/F#)I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (Bm)free. (G) (A)

And I (Bm/F#)sing to the (G)river,

As I (Bm/F#)cling, oh, to the (G)river,

As (G/F#)I (Em)bring you the (A)river

Running (Bm)free. (G) (A)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D, high notes run on high strings:

E-string:f#-g-f#-B-string-d) (A, on E-string:-e-G-string:-a)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D, high notes run on high strings:

E-string:f#-g-f#-B-string-d) (A, on E-string:-e-G-string:-a)

(D) (A) (G) (A7 short) (D)

janhauenstein@gmx.de, Charlie Woodward & Art Faller