this arrangement by Peter Wilson (closely based on the Reader's
digest Family Song Book, inspired by the Kentucky Headhunters)
This is your basic major chord progression in Gmajor
but I use some more advanced inversions to follow the melody
which I show below. The numbers in parenthesis are my own notation
and indicate the inversion in use. I came up with this by a
process of playing around, and I'm not God, so feel free to
experiment with this. The song uses a lot of parallel sixths
which I play using a regular pick and a finger pick on my
long finger which is a standard country technique. Finger them
like this. (Numbers are for fingers, not frets here)
--1---|-------|-------|---2---|------- ------|-------|-------|-------|------- ------|---2---|-------|---2---|-------
-
-
-
Sliding sixths are a lick which sounds very much like a steel
guitar. There is a particularly choice one on the last line.
Notice it is the bottom (bass) note which is slid. This tab comes
with no warranty and I accept no liability for consequential
damages. This song is a great confidence builder for beginners as
it isn't too hard to play, but makes you sound like a country pro.
Oh yeah, the passages I have marked stacatto, use a real common
lead guitar lick. After sounding the notes release the strings
quickly. You want to make the guitar chirp.
x x x x x x x x
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
| | | o | o | | | | | o | | | | | o | | | | | o
7 ----------- 3 ----------- 5 ----------- 3 ----------
| | | | o | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | o | |
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
| | o | | | | | o o o | | | o o o | | | o | | |
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
G(7) C(3) D(5) | | | | o |
-----------
G7
x x x x
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
o o o o o o o o o o o o | | | o o o | | | | | o
8 ----------- 3 ----------- 5 ----------- 10 -----------
| | | o | | | | | o | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
| o o | | | | o o | | | | | o | o | | | o o o |
----------- ----------- ----------- ------------
C(8) G(3) D7 G(10)
Red River Valley (traditional) adlib G(7) G(3) C(3) strum |-------------3--|-7---7---7---5--|-3---3---5---3--|-----3----------| |---------3---3--|-8---8----------|-----3----------|-5---5----------| |----------------|-7---7---7---5--|-4---4---5---4--|-5---5----------| |----------------|-9---9----------|-----5----------|-----5----------| |----------------|----------------|-----5----------|----------------| |----------------|----------------|-----3----------|----------------| from this val - ley they say you are go -ing
adlib G(7) G(10) D(7) strum |-------------3--|-7---7---7---7--|-10--10--8---7--|-5--------------| |---------3---3--|-8---8-------8--|-12--12--10--8--|-7--------------| |----------------|-7---7---7------|-12--12---------|-7--------------| |----------------|-9---9----------|-12--12---------|-7--------------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| we will miss yr brt eyes + sweet smile
adlib G(7) G7 (sl) C(8) strum |-------------3--|-7---7---7---5--|-3---3---5---7--|-10--8----------| |---------3------|-8---8-------7--|-6---6---6---8--|-----8----------| |----------------|-7---7---7------|-4---4----------|-10--9----------| |----------------|-9---9----------|-5---5----------|-----10---------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----10---------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----8----------| for they say you are ta- king the sun shine
{ ----staccatto ------ } adlib G(3) | D7 | G(3) strum |----------------|-3---3---3---5--|-7-------5---5--|-3--------------| |-------------5--|-3---3----------|----------------|-3--------------| |-------------5--|-4---4---3---5--|-7-------5---5--|-4--------------| |----------------|-5---5----------|----------------|-5--------------| |----------------|-5---5----------|----------------|-5--------------| |----------------|-3---3----------|----------------|-3--------------| that bright -ens our path way a while
adlib G(7) D7 G(3) strum |-------------3--|-7---7---7--7---|-7---7---5---7--|-5---3----------| |---------3---3--|-8---8----------|-7---7---7---7--|-----3----------| |----------------|-7---7---7--7---|-7---7---5---7--|-5---4----------| |----------------|-9---9----------|-9---9---7---9--|-----5----------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----5----------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----3----------| come + sit by my side if you love me
{ ------ stacatto ---------------} adlib G(7) G(10) |D(7) strum |-------------3--|-7-------3---7--|-10------8---7--|-5--------------| |---------3---3--|----------------|---------10--8--|-7--------------| |----------------|-7-------4---7--|-12-------------|-7--------------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-7--------------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| do not hast- en to bid me a dieu
adlib G(7) G7 (sl) C(8) strum |---------10--8--|-7---7---7---5--|-3---3---5---7--|-10--8----------| |---------10--10-|-8---8-------7--|-6---6---6---8--|-----8----------| |----------------|-7---7---7------|-4---4----------|-10--9----------| |----------------|-9---9----------|-5---5----------|-----10---------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----10---------| |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----8----------| but re- mem- ber the red ri- ver valley
slide adlib G(3) bottom D7 G(3) strum |----------------|-3---3---2---3--|-5---5---7---5--|-3--------------| |---------5---5--|-3---3----------|-7---7---7---7--|-3--------------| |---------5---5--|-4---4---2---4--|-5---5---7---5--|-4--------------| |----------------|-5---5----------|-7---7---9---7--|-5--------------| |----------------|-5---5----------|----------------|-5--------------| |----------------|-3---3----------|----------------|-3--------------| and the cow- boy who loves you so true
