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Big River Man chords by
Jimmy Driftwood
Jimmy Driftwood
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N/A•
Key: C major•
Verse 1
C
C

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G
G

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C
C

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I was born one night

when the rain was a -pouring
F
F

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The thunder was a -bumping
C
C

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and the wind was a -blowing

The river was a -bucking

and the boat was a -rocking
G
G

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C
C

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And that's how my life began

My mammy was the queen

of a town on the river
F
F

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She took up with my daddy
C
C

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and they never did forgive her

My mammy tamed my daddy

and my daddy tamed the river
G
G

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C
C

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And they called him a big river man

It takes a big man to tame a big river
G
G

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C
C

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Takes a big man to tame a big river
F
F

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Takes a big man to tame a big river
C
C

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G
G

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C
C

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And I'm -a gonna be a big river man

I've sailed on the sea

and I've sailed on the ocean
F
F

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I've sailed on the river
C
C

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and I like the river motion

The girls on the river

cause my lovin' heart to quiver

And they tremble when I
G
G

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C
C

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take them by the hand

A big river man

is like a bear after honey
F
F

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C
C

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The girls on the river go crazy over money

My daddy had the money,

and my daddy got the honey
G
G

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C
C

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And they called him a big river man

Takes a big man to tame a big river
G
G

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C
C

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Takes a big man to tame a big river
F
F

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Takes a big man to tame a big river
C
C

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G
G

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Now I'm gonna be a big
C
C

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G
G

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C
C

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F
F

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C
C

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river man


I've got me a girl,

she lives way up the river
F
F

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With an angel in her heart
C
C

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and a devil in her liver

She's got the sweetest kisses

and a water for my missus
G
G

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C
C

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Oh boy, she's a beautiful sight

She sent me words,

she would be my sugar bowl
F
F

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If I would tame the river,
C
C

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I'll forever love and soul

Pull out the throttle

and the shovel in the coal
G
G

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C
C

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We're going up the river tonight

It takes a big man to tame a big river,
G
G

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C
C

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Takes a big man to tame a big river,
F
F

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Takes a big man to tame a big river,
C
C

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G
G

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C
C

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And I'm -a gonna be a big river man,
G
G

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C
C

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Oh Lord, I'm -a gonna be a big river man.

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An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Tuning:Standard Open Tuner
Chords

  • C

  • G

  • F

Capo: 0

Transpose: 0

0

Autoscroll20%

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Frequently asked questions

The original key of Big River Man by Jimmy Driftwood is C major.

The primary chords used in Big River Man are C, G, F.

No capo is required for this song.

Yes, this version uses open chords like C, G, F, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

The tempo of Big River Man is approximately 171 beats per minute.

You can easily change the key of Big River Man using our Transpose button located in the toolbar. This will automatically update all chord diagrams on the page to match your new key.

Yes! Click the Print icon to generate a clean, one-page version of the chords and lyrics for Big River Man. This is perfect for practicing offline or adding to a physical songbook.

Yes, we have integrated a Mini-Tuner directly on this page. Use it to quickly check your string pitch (Standard Tuning: E A D G B E) before you start playing along with Jimmy Driftwood.

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add Big River Man to your account. You can access all your saved songs under My Library at any time.

You can view the full chord sheet and lyrics for Big River Man by Jimmy Driftwood on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.