Bb                   F              Dm     Dm C
The ladies would put the baskets on the table
Bb                  F            Dm          Dm C
 And the men would sit 'neath a  shady tree
  Bb               F           Dm    Dm C
The children would listen to a fable
Bb              Am                     G7
While something else came through to   me
    F     Bb     F    Bb      F        Bb        F
The river got no end,    just rollin' 'round the bend
Bb    F       Bb        F          Bb       F
  Then pretty soon the women would all join in
Bb             F
  On the river hymn...


[Chorus}
   C                                       F
The whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
G  C                                     F       C    F
   We are gathered here to give a little thanks  thanks


[Verse]

     Bb          F           Dm   Dm C
The voice of the rapids will echo
Bb      F              Dm            Dm C
 And ricochet like an old water well
Bb         F           Dm  Dm C
Who'd ever want to let go
Bb        Am             G7
Once you sit beneath its spell
    F         Bb       F    Bb  F            Bb        F    Bb
It's dark and wide and deep,     towards the sea it creeps
   F   Bb      F            Bb    F
I'm so glad I brought along my mandolin
Bb                  F
  To play the river hymn...


[Bridge]
G                               C
You can ride on it or drink it
F                    G
Poison it or dam it
C                         F
Fish in it and wash in it
Bb                    C
Swim in it and you can die in it
C                F
Run, you river, run


[Verse]
Bb   F               Dm             Dm C
Son, you ain't never seen yourself
Bb            F            Dm                    G
  No crystal mirror can show it clear, come over here instead
Bb   F               Dm             Dm C
Son, you ain't never eased yourself
Bb               Am              G7
 Til you laid it down in a river bed
       F      Bb        F     Bb          F      Bb   F
If you hear a lonesome drone,     it's as common as a stone
Bb     F      Bb  F       Bb        F
  And gets louder as the day  grows dim
Bb                 F
  That's the river hymn...
 
[Chorus]
  C                                       F
The whole congregation was standing on the banks of the river
G  C                                     F       C    F
   We are gathered here to give a little thanks  thanks