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Steel River

Chords

4.918 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

This is my simplified acoustic version of this song.
I play the G chord as - 320033
            and Cadd9 - x23033
            and Em7   - 022033  Any suggestions/improvements welcome.
Intro =  G   Cadd9   D   Em7   G   Cadd9   D   Gx 2
Verse 1
GI was born and Cadd9raised on Dsteel Em7river
GI see it Cadd9all like it was DyesterGday
The ships and Cadd9bridges were Dall deEm7livered
GFrom Sydney Cadd9harbour to the DCisco Gbay
G Cadd9 D Em7 G Cadd9 D G
Verse 2
GAnd I met my Cadd9love down on Dsteel Em7river
GWe served our Cadd9dreams and spent our Dchildhood Gdays
In rainy Cadd9streets we'd kiss aDway the Em7shivers
GAnd hide from Cadd9fears inside the Dlatest GcrazeG  G  
Bridge
AmDancing to BmMotown
DMaking Clove with a BmCarole King record Amplaying
And Coh how I Gloved youD  C  Bm  Am  
Say goodGbye       Cadd9  Dsteel Em7river    G        Cadd9  Dsteel Griver
 G   Cadd9   D   Em7   G   Cadd9   D   Gx 2
Verse 3
GTen thousand Cadd9bombers hit the Dsteel Em7river
GAnd many Cadd9died to keep her Drunning Gfree
And she Cadd9survived but now she's Dgone forEm7ever
GHer burning Cadd9heart is just a DmemoGry
Verse 4
GAnd I ran away from Cadd9life on Dsteel Em7river
GLuck or Cadd9not I gladly Dtook the Gbreak
The odds were Cadd9low the chances Dnearly Em7zero
GA chance it Cadd9was I Dhad to Gtake
 G   Cadd9   D   Em7   G   Cadd9   D   Gx 2
Verse 5
GThey say that Cadd9salmon swim in Dsteel Em7river
GThey say it's Cadd9good to see them Dback aGgain
I know it Cadd9hurts to see what Dreally Em7happened
GI know one Cadd9salmon ain't no Dgood to Gthem
Verse 6
GThey were born and Cadd9raised to serve their Dsteel Em7mother
GIt was they Cadd9taught and all they Dever Gknew
And they beCadd9lieved that she would Dkeep their Em7children
GEven though not a Cadd9single Dword was Gtrue
Bridge 2 and outro
Say goodGbye         Cadd9  Dsteel Em7river
Say goodGbye         Cadd9  Dsteel Griver
 G   Cadd9   D   Gx 2

All chords in this song (7)

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Steel River

by Chris Rea

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Cadd9

Em7

This is my simplified acoustic version of this song.

I play the G chord as - 320033

and Cadd9 - x23033

and Em7 - 022033 Any suggestions/improvements welcome.

G Cadd9 D Em7 G Cadd9 D G

Intro = x 2

Verse 1

G Cadd9 D Em7

I was born and raised on steel river

G Cadd9 D G

I see it all like it was yesterday

Cadd9 D Em7

The ships and bridges were all delivered

G Cadd9 D G

From Sydney harbour to the Cisco bay

G Cadd9 D Em7 G Cadd9 D G

Verse 2

G Cadd9 D Em7

And I met my love down on steel river

G Cadd9 D G

We served our dreams and spent our childhood days

Cadd9 D Em7

In rainy streets we'd kiss away the shivers

G Cadd9 D G G G

And hide from fears inside the latest craze

Bridge

Am Bm

Dancing to Motown

D C Bm Am

Making love with a Carole King record playing

C G D C Bm Am

And oh how I loved you

G Cadd9 D Em7 G Cadd9 D G

Say goodbye steel river steel river

G Cadd9 D Em7 G Cadd9 D G

x 2

Verse 3

G Cadd9 D Em7

Ten thousand bombers hit the steel river

G Cadd9 D G

And many died to keep her running free

Cadd9 D Em7

And she survived but now she's gone forever

G Cadd9 D G

Her burning heart is just a memory

Verse 4

G Cadd9 D Em7

And I ran away from life on steel river

G Cadd9 D G

Luck or not I gladly took the break

Cadd9 D Em7

The odds were low the chances nearly zero

G Cadd9 D G

A chance it was I had to take

G Cadd9 D Em7 G Cadd9 D G

x 2

Verse 5

G Cadd9 D Em7

They say that salmon swim in steel river

G Cadd9 D G

They say it's good to see them back again

Cadd9 D Em7

I know it hurts to see what really happened

G Cadd9 D G

I know one salmon ain't no good to them

Verse 6

G Cadd9 D Em7

They were born and raised to serve their steel mother

G Cadd9 D G

It was they taught and all they ever knew

Cadd9 D Em7

And they believed that she would keep their children

G Cadd9 D G

Even though not a single word was true

Bridge 2 and outro

G Cadd9 D Em7

Say goodbye steel river

G Cadd9 D G

Say goodbye steel river

G Cadd9 D G

x 2

About Steel River Chords by Chris Rea

Learn how to play Steel River by Chris Rea with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Steel River chords”, “Steel River guitar chords”, or “Chris Rea Steel River chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Steel River chords and for experienced players who want accurate Steel River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, Cadd9, D, Em7, Am, Bm.

FAQ — Steel River by Chris Rea

How do I play "Steel River" by Chris Rea on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Steel River" by Chris Rea on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Steel River" by Chris Rea free?

Yes. The chords for "Steel River" by Chris Rea are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Steel River" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Steel River" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Steel River"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Steel River" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Steel River" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Steel River" by Chris Rea with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Chris Rea below.

What key is "Steel River" in?

The chords for "Steel River" show the original chord names (including G, Cadd9, D, Em7, Am, Bm). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.