Old Time Riverman keyboard

Old Time Riverman

• D

Old Time River Man  
(John Hartford) (Down on the River Album) 
And (Banjo According to John Hartford, Lesson 1) 
Tab by: Verne Garrison 


(D)Where does an (G) old time (D) river man (A) go  
After he's passed  (D) away?  
Does his soul (G) still keep a (D) watch on the (A) deep  
For the rest of the river (D) days?  
Does he then (G) come (D) back as a channel (A) cat  
Or the wasps that light on the (D) wheel?  
Or the birds that (G) fly through (D)  a summer (A) sky  
Or the fish swimming under the (D) keel?  


Where does an  (G) old (D) time pilot (A) go  
After he's stood his last (D) watch?  
Does he fall by the (G) ear of the (D) man who (A) steers  
Saying hold her on that (D) notch  
There's a gentle (G) sneeze in the (D) river (A) breeze  
Saying son I'm goin to (D) bed.  
And they light their (G) pipes and (D)go off in the(A) night  
Or was that fireflies (D) instead?  

Where does an  (G) old time (D) engineer (A) go after he's cooled her (D) down?  
Gone up the (G) hill to never (D) come (A)  back, on the quiet side of (D) town.  
Does his G) soul live (D) on in the engine (A) songs  
While the striker checks the (D) gears? Is he still (G) afloat on an (D) old steam (A) boat after he's gone from (D) here?  

****Where’s an (G) poor old love (D) song go (A) after its off the (D) charts? 
Does it (G) hang around (D) like a distant (A) sound or last years broken (D) hearts 
Does it (G) then come (D) back on a brand new (A) track sure to bend your (D) head 
It might be (G) old, but just turned (D) gold, by the (A) talking heads (D) instead. 


***Last verse taken from video on U tube..v.g. 11-3-06..  

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