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Mississippi Sand

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[Intro]
A E A E
[Verse 1]
 EI was born down in the bottoms of the Bflat black Delta land
I grew up picking cotton in the AMississippi Esand
My mama said son take that girl and Ago make her your wife
Or you'll be Bstuck here in this mud all of your Elife
[Chorus]
Will the Awater roll it Eall way this Bsecret that I Ehold
Will the Awater roll it Eall away will it Bcleanse my aching Esoul
But a Aman's got to make it Esometime a Bman's got to take a Estand
Or he'll get left in the BMississippi Esand
[Verse 2]
 EA stranger came to town with two torn Bshoes upon his feet
Singing songs of sadness picking Agirls off of the Estreet
He made a little bit of music was a Aleader of a band
And they Bcall him the muddy Mississippi Eband
[Verse 3]
 EMy girl was Ruby Colter Band she was on her teens
I took her out to churches to Asocials schools and Ethings
She was a rose just right for picking and Ahe nipped her in the bud
And he Bleft her here in the Mississippi Emud
[Chorus]
Will the Awater roll it Eall way this Bsecret that I Ehold
Will the Awater roll it Eall away will it Bcleanse my aching Esoul
But a Aman's got to make it Esometime a Bman's got to take a Estand
Or he'll get left in the BMississippi Esand
[Instrumental]
A E A E
[Verse 4]
 EThen me and old Carl we caught him Bright down by the store
We choked him just a little bit and Aheld him to the Efloor
We relived him of his pocketbook, his Ablood and other things
Now the BMississippi man's no longer Emean
[Chorus]
Will the Awater roll it Eall way this Bsecret that I Ehold
Will the Awater roll it Eall away will it Bcleanse my aching Esoul
But a Aman's got to make it Esometime a Bman's got to take a Estand
Or he'll get left in the BMississippi Esand
[Outro]
A E A E A E

All chords in this song (3)

The story behind the song

"Mississippi Sand" evokes the themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption often found in Johnny Cash's music. His deep, calm, bass-baritone voice and the distinctive train-like rhythms of his backing band, the Tennessee Three, would have brought a powerful, grounded feeling to this song. It carries the weight of a man who grew up on gospel music and became known for his rebellious spirit alongside an increasingly humble demeanor. At its heart, it plays like a reflection on the landscapes and journeys that shape a life.

AI-written from these sources:Johnny Cash — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

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670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Mississippi Sand

by Johnny Cash

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Intro]

A E A E

[Verse 1]

E B

I was born down in the bottoms of the flat black Delta land

A E

I grew up picking cotton in the Mississippi sand

My mama said son take that girl and go make her your wife

B E

Or you'll be stuck here in this mud all of your life

[Chorus]

A E B E

Will the water roll it all way this secret that I hold

A E B E

Will the water roll it all away will it cleanse my aching soul

A E B E

But a man's got to make it sometime a man's got to take a stand

B E

Or he'll get left in the Mississippi sand

[Verse 2]

E B

A stranger came to town with two torn shoes upon his feet

A E

Singing songs of sadness picking girls off of the street

He made a little bit of music was a leader of a band

B E

And they call him the muddy Mississippi band

[Verse 3]

E B

My girl was Ruby Colter and she was on her teens

A E

I took her out to churches to socials schools and things

She was a rose just right for picking and he nipped her in the bud

B E

And he left her here in the Mississippi mud

[Chorus]

A E B E

Will the water roll it all way this secret that I hold

A E B E

Will the water roll it all away will it cleanse my aching soul

A E B E

But a man's got to make it sometime a man's got to take a stand

B E

Or he'll get left in the Mississippi sand

[Instrumental]

A E A E

[Verse 4]

E B

Then me and old Carl we caught him right down by the store

A E

We choked him just a little bit and held him to the floor

We relived him of his pocketbook, his blood and other things

B E

Now the Mississippi man's no longer mean

[Chorus]

A E B E

Will the water roll it all way this secret that I hold

A E B E

Will the water roll it all away will it cleanse my aching soul

A E B E

But a man's got to make it sometime a man's got to take a stand

B E

Or he'll get left in the Mississippi sand

[Outro]

A E A E A E

About Mississippi Sand Chords by Johnny Cash

Learn how to play Mississippi Sand by Johnny Cash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Mississippi Sand chords”, “Mississippi Sand guitar chords”, or “Johnny Cash Mississippi Sand 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 Mississippi Sand chords and for experienced players who want accurate Mississippi Sand lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, E, B.

FAQ — Mississippi Sand by Johnny Cash

How do I play "Mississippi Sand" by Johnny Cash on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Mississippi Sand" by Johnny Cash 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 "Mississippi Sand" by Johnny Cash free?

Yes. The chords for "Mississippi Sand" by Johnny Cash are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Mississippi Sand" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Mississippi Sand"?

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

Is "Mississippi Sand" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Mississippi Sand" by Johnny Cash with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Johnny Cash below.

What key is "Mississippi Sand" in?

The chords for "Mississippi Sand" show the original chord names (including A, E, B). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.