Red River Valley lyrics and guitar chords
Red river valley tenor guitar / mandola tab in CGDA tuning included. Easy to play guitar chords. written by James Kerrigan 1896, the sheet music notes are also included here, The chords in the key of E Major are the same as what Michael Martin uses in his youtube video. Red River Valley Sheet Music And Tin Whistle Notes .
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[D]From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet[A] smile For they[D] say you are taking the[G] sunshine That has[A] brightened our path for a [D]while Come and sit by my side if you love me Do not hasten to bid me adieu But remember the Red River Valley And the cowboy who loved you so true Won't you think of the valley you're leaving Oh how lonely, how sad it will be? Oh think of the fond heart you're breaking And the grief you are causing to me As you go to your home by the ocean May you never forget those sweet hours That we spent in the Red River Valley And the love we exchanged mid the flowers Intro chords for Michael Martin version.
[E] [D] [B][E] [D] [B][D][E][A] [B] [E] [E]From this [F#]vall[G#m]ey they say [B]you are [E]going We will miss your bright eyes and sweet[B] smile For they[E] say you are taking the[A] sunshine That has[B] brightened our [F#m]path [D]for a [E]]while [E]Come and sit by my side [B]if you [E]love me Do not hasten to bid me a[B]dieu But re[E]member the Red River [A]Valley And the [B]cowboy who loved you so [E]true |
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🎵 Red River Valley
Key: G Major
Time Signature: 3/4 (waltz)
Tempo: ~85 BPM
Style: Slow folk/country waltz
🎸 CHORDS (in G Major)
Original Transposed
E G
F#m Am
G#m Bm
A C
B D
🎼 CHORDS THROUGHOUT
Verse 1
[G]From this [Am]val[Bm]ley they [D]say you are [G]going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet [D]smile
For they [G]say you are taking the [C]sunshine
That has [D]brightened our [Am]path [C]for a [G]while
Chorus
[G]Come and sit by my side [D]if you [G]love me
Do not hasten to bid me a [D]dieu
But re[G]member the Red River [C]Valley
And the [D]cowboy who loved you so [G]true
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 time)
For choruses or when you want fuller accompaniment:
↓ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2 &)
or a fuller waltz feel:
↓ (↓↑) ↓ (↓↑)
(one pattern per measure, accent beat 1)
🎵 Sounds like:
boom–chick–chick, boom–chick–chick
(Thumb on the bass → soft brush on middle/high strings)
🎸 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (Waltz-style roll)
Use this during verses for that soft cowboy folk feel.
T – I – M – T – I – M
(count: 1 2 3)
Thumb (T): plays the bass (root or 4th string)
Index (I): plays the G string
Middle (M): plays the B string
Keep it slow, steady, and let each note ring.
🪶 FINGERPICKING TAB – FULL VERSE & CHORUS
Verse 1
G
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--2-----------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
From this valley they say you are going
Am D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
G C
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
For they say you are taking the sunshine
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--2-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
That has brightened our path for a while
Chorus
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Come and sit by my side if you love me
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
G C
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
But remember the Red River Valley
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--2-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
And the cowboy who loved you so true
🎧 Performance Tips
Use fingerpicking for verses — warm and storytelling.
Use light strumming for the chorus — to open up the sound.
Accent beat 1 of every measure — like a heartbeat waltz.
Keep the tempo gentle, let notes ring out.
Key: G Major
Time Signature: 3/4 (waltz)
Tempo: ~85 BPM
Style: Slow folk/country waltz
🎸 CHORDS (in G Major)
Original Transposed
E G
F#m Am
G#m Bm
A C
B D
🎼 CHORDS THROUGHOUT
Verse 1
[G]From this [Am]val[Bm]ley they [D]say you are [G]going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet [D]smile
For they [G]say you are taking the [C]sunshine
That has [D]brightened our [Am]path [C]for a [G]while
Chorus
[G]Come and sit by my side [D]if you [G]love me
Do not hasten to bid me a [D]dieu
But re[G]member the Red River [C]Valley
And the [D]cowboy who loved you so [G]true
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 time)
For choruses or when you want fuller accompaniment:
↓ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2 &)
or a fuller waltz feel:
↓ (↓↑) ↓ (↓↑)
(one pattern per measure, accent beat 1)
🎵 Sounds like:
boom–chick–chick, boom–chick–chick
(Thumb on the bass → soft brush on middle/high strings)
🎸 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (Waltz-style roll)
Use this during verses for that soft cowboy folk feel.
T – I – M – T – I – M
(count: 1 2 3)
Thumb (T): plays the bass (root or 4th string)
Index (I): plays the G string
Middle (M): plays the B string
Keep it slow, steady, and let each note ring.
🪶 FINGERPICKING TAB – FULL VERSE & CHORUS
Verse 1
G
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--2-----------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
From this valley they say you are going
Am D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
G C
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
For they say you are taking the sunshine
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--2-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
That has brightened our path for a while
Chorus
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Come and sit by my side if you love me
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
G C
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
But remember the Red River Valley
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--2-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--3-----------------------------|
And the cowboy who loved you so true
🎧 Performance Tips
Use fingerpicking for verses — warm and storytelling.
Use light strumming for the chorus — to open up the sound.
Accent beat 1 of every measure — like a heartbeat waltz.
Keep the tempo gentle, let notes ring out.
Red river valley tenor guitar / mandola tab in CGDA
