Harlem River Blues Chords & Lyrics by Justin Townes Earle

Harlem River Blues

guitar chords lyrics

Justin Townes Earle

Harlem River Blues by Justin Townes Earle

Tabbed by Wade Lewis (contact [email protected]) - corrections/additions welcome

JTE plays with capo on 3rd fret (see Youtube and Letterman), but I play it on the
1st fret, or even without

INTRO: G / G/C / G / G/C / G / G/C / G

CHORUS

G C
Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
G D G
Dirty water's gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound

VERSE 1
G C
I'm on a roll, mama, I gotta go, I gotta get there while I still can
G D
Troubled days are behind me now and I know they're gonna let me in [melody rises]

G C
So when you see me walkin' up the empty yard, just a-singin' and a-clappin' my hands
G D G G/C G G/C G
Tell my mama I love her, tell my father I tried, give my money to my baby to spend

CHORUS
'cause Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water's gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound

VERSE 2
G C
Good times come and they go, even a good man'll break
G D
He'll let his troubles bury him whole even though he knows what's at stake [melody rises]
G C
So I'm taking no chances, carrying over while I'm still good in His grace
G D G G/C G G/C G
I'm no fool, mama, I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate

CHORUS
'cause Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water's gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound

Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound

[No chords, or just lightly only strummed on last chorus]
Lord, I'm goin' uptown to the Harlem River to drown
Dirty water gonna cover me over and I'm not gonna make a sound