Bm  A  G  A

[Verse 2]
         Bm     A       G       A
Take the old man to the river's mercy
Bm            A          G         A
Wearing his father's coat and woven pedigree
Bm           A      G         A
Take his old friends from the gentry
Bm     A          G         A
To the river, the river is thirsty
         Bm       A      G       A
Take his old girl to the river's mercy
Bm        A            G        A
Wearing a heavy thread heirloom tapestry
Bm           A              G    A
Take his old girl with him, his family tree
Bm     A          G        A
To the river, the river is thirsty

[Chorus]
Bm       D   A  Bm
Take his old blood
    D        A  Bm
His moon and sun
       A
To the river

[Verse 2]
        Bm        A      G          A
And the white rows, like ribbons of Lisbon
    Bm            A            G            A
And roll with the field like a flag that is waving
        Bm         A     G               A
And the black rows, they sowed their own chain
      Bm            A                G       A
Get a dollar with a calico for their newborn baby
        Bm        A  G          A
And the bell sends a key to the lock
      Bm              A        G           A
And a whistle in the wind that carries the wings
        Bm         A    G          A
And the guard dogs, that catch the call
        Bm         A          G         A
Put the key to freedom in the hand of Redeemers
        Bm        A       G            A
Now the iron cloth that's cut from the loom
        Bm              A           G            A
Bears a black and white stripe of a cotton field rolling
        Bm        A    G          A
And the dark minds and flame of Redeemers
          Bm                A             G            A
Put them right back in the iron cloth and the flag is waving

[Chorus]
Bm       D   A  Bm
Take his old blood
    D        A  Bm
His moon and sun
       A
To the river

[Instrumental]
Bm  A  G  A

[Bridge]
Bm  A               G           A
    Take him by the hand to the river
Bm  A               G      A
    Lead him by the hand into the water
Bm  A             G            A
    Let the heavy thread drink up the river
Bm  A             G               A           Bm
    Let the heavy thread drag him down to the bottom
    A               G           A
    Take him by the hand to the river
Bm  A               G      A
    Lead him by the hand into the water
Bm  A             G            A
    Let the heavy thread drink up the river
Bm  A             G               A
    Let the heavy thread drag him down

[Chorus]
Bm       D   A  Bm
Take his old blood
    D        A  Bm
His moon and sun
        D   A
You can see
         D   A   Bm
Take the old man
       G          A      Bm
To the river it's thirsty