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Big River

Chords

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Tuning: Standard
I Etaught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a F#clear blue B7sky.
And the Etears I cried for that woman are gonna Aflood you, big river.
And EI'm gonna sit right B7here until I Edie.
I Emet her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota.
And it tore me up every time I heard her dF#rawl, southern dB7rawl.
And I Eheard my dream went back downstream, Acavortin' in Davenport,
And I Efollowed you, big B7river, when she Ecalled.
Break:
E    A
E B7 E
Oh, Eshe took me to St. Louis later on, down the river.
Freighter said, "She's been here, but she's gF#one, boy, she's B7gone."
And I Efound her trail in Memphis, but she Ajust walked up the bluff.
Raised a Efew eyebrows and B7went on down aElone.
Well, I Epulled into Natchez next day down the river,
But there wasn't much there to make the rounders sF#tay very lB7ong.
When I Eleft it was rainin' so Anobody saw me cry.
Big Eriver, why she B7doin' me this Eway?
Break:
E    A
E B7 E
Now, won't you Ebatter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.
Take that woman on down to New OrlF#eans, New OrlB7eans.
Go on, EI've had enough, dump my Ablues down in the gulf.
She Eloves you, big B7river, more than Eme.
I Etaught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clF#ear blue sB7ky.
And the Etears I cried for that woman are gonna Aflood you, big river.
And EI'm gonna sit right B7here until I Edie.

All chords in this song (4)

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Big River

by The Highwaymen

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

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Tuning: Standard

I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.

F# B7

And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.

E A

And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river.

E B7 E

And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota.

F# B7

And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl.

E A

And I heard my dream went back downstream, cavortin' in Davenport,

E B7 E

And I followed you, big river, when she called.

Break:

E A

E B7 E

Oh, she took me to St. Louis later on, down the river.

F# B7

Freighter said, "She's been here, but she's gone, boy, she's gone."

E A

And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the bluff.

E B7 E

Raised a few eyebrows and went on down alone.

Well, I pulled into Natchez next day down the river,

F# B7

But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long.

E A

When I left it was rainin' so nobody saw me cry.

E B7 E

Big river, why she doin' me this way?

Break:

E A

E B7 E

Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.

F# B7

Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.

E A

Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf.

E B7 E

She loves you, big river, more than me.

I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.

F# B7

And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.

E A

And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river.

E B7 E

And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

About Big River Chords by The Highwaymen

Learn how to play Big River by The Highwaymen with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Big River chords”, “Big River guitar chords”, or “The Highwaymen Big 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 Big River chords and for experienced players who want accurate Big River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, F#, B7, A.

FAQ — Big River by The Highwaymen

How do I play "Big River" by The Highwaymen on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Big River" by The Highwaymen 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 "Big River" by The Highwaymen free?

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

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

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Big River"?

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

Is "Big River" easy to play on guitar?

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

What key is "Big River" in?

The chords for "Big River" show the original chord names (including E, F#, B7, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.