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Kern River

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CHORUS:
I'll Dnever swim Kern River aAgain.
AIt was there that I met her.
AIt was there that I lost my best Efriend.E7  
And now I Dlive in the mountains.
I C#mdrifted up here with the Dwind.
And I may Adrown in still water,
But I'll Enever swim Kern River aAgain.
VERSE:
I grew Aup in an oil town,
But my Dgusher never came Ain.
And the rivAer was a boundary
                               A      E(E7) E9  
Where my  darlin' and I used to swim.
AOne night in the moonlight
DThe swiftness swept here life aAway.
AAnd now I live on Lake Shasta and
ALake EShasta is where I will Astay.
CHORUS:
I'll Dnever swim Kern River aAgain.
AIt was there that I met her.
AIt was there that I lost my best Efriend.E7  
And now I Dlive in the mountains.
I C#mdrifted up here with the Dwind.
And I may Adrown in still water,
But I'll Enever swim Kern River aAgain.
VERSE:
AThere's the South San Joaquin,
Where the Dseeds of the dust bowl are Afound.
AAnd there's a place called Mount Whitney
                                      A     E(E7) E9  
From where the mighty Kern River comes down.
Well, it's Anot  deep nor wide,
ABut it's a Dmean piece of water my Afriend.
AAnd I may cross on the highway,
But I'll Enever swim Kern River Aagain
CHORUS:
I'll Dnever swim Kern River aAgain.
AIt was there that I met her.
AIt was there that I lost my best Efriend.E7  
And now I Dlive in the mountains.
I C#mdrifted up here with the Dwind.
And I may Adrown in still water,
But I'll Enever swim Kern River aAgain.

All chords in this song (6)

The story behind the song

This song tells a grim story about the singer's girlfriend drowning in the Kern River in California. It's a powerful and "scary record," as one writer described it, that "screamed quiet and startled you alive." The track, from Merle Haggard's 1985 album Kern River, captures a deep sense of loss and tragedy. Playing it means channeling the raw, haunting emotion of a sudden and devastating event.

AI-written from these sources:Kern River (song) — Wikipedia ↗Merle Haggard — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Kern River

by Merle Haggard

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C#m

CHORUS:

D A

I'll never swim Kern River again.

It was there that I met her.

A E E7

It was there that I lost my best friend.

And now I live in the mountains.

C#m D

I drifted up here with the wind.

And I may drown in still water,

E A

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

VERSE:

I grew up in an oil town,

D A

But my gusher never came in.

And the river was a boundary

A E E7 E9

()

Where my darlin' and I used to swim.

One night in the moonlight

D A

The swiftness swept here life away.

And now I live on Lake Shasta and

A E A

Lake Shasta is where I will stay.

CHORUS:

D A

I'll never swim Kern River again.

It was there that I met her.

A E E7

It was there that I lost my best friend.

And now I live in the mountains.

C#m D

I drifted up here with the wind.

And I may drown in still water,

E A

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

VERSE:

There's the South San Joaquin,

D A

Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found.

And there's a place called Mount Whitney

A E E7 E9

()

From where the mighty Kern River comes down.

Well, it's not deep nor wide,

A D A

But it's a mean piece of water my friend.

And I may cross on the highway,

E A

But I'll never swim Kern River again

CHORUS:

D A

I'll never swim Kern River again.

It was there that I met her.

A E E7

It was there that I lost my best friend.

And now I live in the mountains.

C#m D

I drifted up here with the wind.

And I may drown in still water,

E A

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

About Kern River Chords by Merle Haggard

Learn how to play Kern River by Merle Haggard with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Kern River chords”, “Kern River guitar chords”, or “Merle Haggard Kern 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 Kern River chords and for experienced players who want accurate Kern River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, A, E, E7, C#m, E9.

FAQ — Kern River by Merle Haggard

How do I play "Kern River" by Merle Haggard on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Kern River" by Merle Haggard 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 "Kern River" by Merle Haggard free?

Yes. The chords for "Kern River" by Merle Haggard are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

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

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Kern River"?

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

Is "Kern River" easy to play on guitar?

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

What key is "Kern River" in?

The chords for "Kern River" show the original chord names (including D, A, E, E7, C#m, E9). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.