As Tabbed by seboddos aka zappy the koala

Riff
    Gm                                 Bb            A   Gm
E |-6-3---3---------------------------------------------------|
B |-----6----------------------------------6-----------8------|
G |---------6--7-6-7---------------------7-----7-----6--------|
D |-5---5---5------5-----5---5---5---8-8-----8---7-7----------|
A |-----------------------------------------------------------|
E |--------------------3---3---3------------------------------|

Verse
Riff
Bb               A4             Gm7
Billy was a young man gone astray
Bb               A4             Gm7
Bottle at his lips all night and day

Chorus
Bb                                     A4         Gm7
Mama said they're gonna send you up the river someday 
Mama said they're gonna send you up the river someday 

Verse
Whiskey ate big holes in Billy's head
Summer's day he shot spud murphy dead

Chorus


He said I'm headed up the river as he watched the blood pour red 
I'm headed up the river as he watched the blood pour red 

Mama asked lord jesus what to do at the door came knocking boys in blue
We're gonna send him up the river and make him pay his dues ma'am 

And so she watched him round that riverbend go billy felt a chill pass 'cross him
Cold they sent him up the river to turn a young man old