Take Me To The River

Words & Music:

Al Green & Mabon "Teenie" Hodges

There are a few variations to this song. Here are two:

INTRO & VERSE VAMP:

E7 Asus4 A OR: E F# G E F# D A

E7 Asus4 A [etc.]

(E F# G E F# D A [etc.])

I don't know why I love you like I do.

After all the changes you been putting me through.

You took my money and my cigarettes.

Now, I ain't seen hide nor hair of you yet.

PRE-CHORUS:

C G D A A7

I wanna know, won't you tell me, am I in love to stay?

CHORUS:

E7 Asus4 A E7

Take me to the river, wash-- me down.

E7 E7+5 Asus4 A E Asus A

Take me to the water----, put my feet-- on the ground.

ALT.CHORUS:

E F# G E F#

Take me to the river (Take me to the river)

G (A E F# G E F#

Drop me in the water (Drop me in the water)

D A E F# G E F#

Take me to the river (Take me to the river)

G (A) E F# G E F# D A

Dip me in the water (Drop me in the water, water)

E F# G

Take me to the river

E F# G A E F# G

Drop me in the water

E F# D A E F# G

Take me to the river

E F# G A E F#

Dip me in the water

G E F#

Washing me down

D A E F# G

Washing me down

E F# G (A) E F# G E F# D A

I don't know why she treated me so bad.

Think of all the things that we could have had.

Love is a notion that I can't forget.

My sweet sixteen I will never regret.

PRE-CHORUS & CHORUS:

BRIDGE:

Dbm A Dbm A

Hold me, love me, please me, tease me. [alt: "squeeze me"]

'Til I can't, til I can't, til I can't, I can't take no more.

CHORUS: [no PRE-CHORUS:]

I don't know why I love you like I do.

After all the changes [alt: "trouble"] you put me through.

Sixteen candles are burnin' on my wall. [alt: "...are there on my wall"]

And here I am the biggest fool of them all.

PRE-CHORUS & CHORUS: