Rivers Of Light

 

Written by John Stewart

 

'Rivers Of Light' is on "Rocket Roy in the Real World Plus" (Neon Dreams, 1999), the song (different, also very good version) is also on the revised version of  "The Americans Plus" (Neon Dreams, 2002).
Kit Newton requested 'Rivers Of Light'.  Good song.  Not that hard – and fun – to play.

 

 

(D) (G) (Em)(A7 short)(D)  (G) (A7 short) (D) (A7 short)
Is the (D)weather any (G)better
Any (Em)further (A7 short)down the (D)road,
Jimmy (G)Wheeler would have (A7 short)been here, (G)but he (D)died. (A7 short)
And I (D)gave my only (G)sweater
To a (Em)girl that I (A7 short)didn't (D)know,
´Cause I (G)showed her Jimmy's (A7 short)letter and she (D)cried. (D7)

(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary so (G)she can (D)see? (A7 short)
(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary (hold)

So she can (D[play only the two ‘top notes’])see? (Em) (A7 short)

There's a (D)face behind the (G)blind,
Don't you (Em)pay it (A7 short)any (D)mind,
´Cause (G)they don't take to (A7 short)strangers (G)passing (D)by. (A7 short)
Someone (D)robbed the dry goods (G)store
In (Em)'39 be(A7 short)fore the (D)war,
And (G)they don't think it's (A7 short)safe out after (D)five. (D7)

(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary so (G)she can (D)see? (A7 short)
(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary (hold)

So she can (D[play only the two ‘top notes])see? (Em) (A7 short) (hold)

Is the (D)weather any (G)better
Any (Em)further (A7 short)down the (D)road,
Jimmy (G)Wheeler would have (A7 short)been here, (G)but he (D)died. (A7 short)
And I (D)gave my only (G)sweater
To a (Em)girl that I (A7 short)didn't (D)know,
´Cause I (G)showed her Jimmy's (A7 short)letter and she (D)cried. (D7)

(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary so (G)she can (D)see? (A7 short)
(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary…

(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary so (G)she can (D)see? (A7 short)
(G) Rivers of (A7 short)light
Down the (G)road (A7 short)in the (D)night,
(G)Why don't you wake up (A7 short)Mary so she can (D/G)see, (Em)
So she can (D/G)see, (Em) so she can (D/G)see. (Em) (D)

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

Charlie Woodward, janhauenstein@gmx.de & Art Faller

 

February 2008

 

Sounds best in drop D tuning, accent the top notes of chords.

 

Some chord shapes for drop D:

 

G for drop D tuning

E------3-----------

B------------------

G------------------

D------------------

A------------------

D----------5-------

 

Em for drop D

E------------------

B------------------

G------------------

D------------------

A----2-------------

D----2-------------