Take Me To The River

by Al Green & Mabon Hodges · posted by EarthDogHarpin

How hard is it?

Listen to the song— a recording linked by the tab’s author

Ad: Want to make Take Me To The River sound awesome on your harmonica? Master tight single notes, rock solid bending and more with easy video lessons → click here.

How to read this tab — notation key

+: Blow note
−: Draw note
b or ': Half-step bend
bb or '': Two half-step bend
bbb or ''': Three half-step bend
(###): Chord — relevant hole numbers in parentheses
< or *: Push the button in (chromatic harmonica)

Full reference and posting tips in the tab guide.

Tab

[code]
Take Me To The River (Diatonic)
Words & Music by Al Green & Mabon Hodges
Originally published Key: E Major
Tabbed for a Key of C, Richter tuned diatonic

Tab notations:
none = blow    - = draw    __ = hold; sustain
’ = half-step bend     ” = full step bend
ob = overblow
= slur; slide smoothly from note to note
= slur & hold; slide smoothly from note to note &
holding final note.

5_ 5ob_ 6_ -6_ 6 5____

5_ 5ob_ 6_ -6_ 6 5____

6 6     6    6_ -4 -4   -4 -4   -4 5____
I don’t know why I love you like I do,__

-4 -4 -4 -4    -4    5_ -3   5   -3 -3 -3”_3
af-ter all these chang-es that you put me through.

-4 -4    -4 -4 5_ -4 5 -3 -3 -3”_3__
You stole my mon-ey and my cig-a-rettes,

-3 -3 -4   -4 -4_ -4   5   -3   -3” -3” -3”_
And I have-n’t seen hide nor hair of you yet.

5 5   -4 5_____ 4     -4 5_-4 –4____
I wan-na know,_ won’t you tell me,___

-3 5ob 5 -4_5__ -4 -3_-3”____
(am) I__ in love__ to stay?_____

6    6 6 5   5   5
Take me to the riv-er,

-3   -4   5 5___
(and) wash me down.

5     -4 5_      5 6_-6’___
Won’t you cleanse my soul,___

-4 -4 6_   5 -4 5__
get my feet on the ground?

6 6     6    6_   -4 -4    -4 -4 -4 5_____
I don’t know why she treat-ed me so bad.__

-4   -4 -4 -4 -4     -3   5 -3    -3   -3”_3
Look at all the things that we could have had._

-4   -4 -4 -4 5_   -4   5 -3    -3 -3”_3__
Love is a no-tion that I can’t for-get,___

-3 -4    -4 -4_   -4 5 -3 -3” -3”-3”_
my sweet six-teen, now I nev-er re-gret.

5 5   -4 5_____ 4     -4 5_-4 -4____
I wan-na know,_ won’t you tell me,___

-3 5ob_ 5 -4_5__ -4 -3_-3”____
(am) I___ in love__ to stay?_____

-4 -4’ -4 5___   -4 -4’ -4 -1___

-4 -4’ -4 5___   -4 -4’ -4 -1___

-6’_5ob 5__ 5_   -4’_ -6’_    -6’_5ob_5 5_    -4’
Hold___ me, love me,_ squeeze me,______ tease me,

6    6 5ob____ -6   -6 -7_6___ 6     5    6 5
till I change, till I can.___ Can’t take no more.

6    6_ 5 -4 5   5
Take me to the riv-er.

6 6     6    6_ -4 -4   -4 -4 -4 5____
I don’t know why I love you like I do,__

-4 -4 -4 -4 -4     -3   5   -3 -3 -3”_3
af-ter all the things that you put me through.

-4      -4 -4   -4 5_   -4   5   -3 -3 -3”_3__
There’s six-teen can-dles burn-ing on my wall,__

-3   -3 -4 -4 -4_ -4 5   -3 -3” -3” -3__
tell-ing me that I_ am the fool of them all.

5 5   -4 5_____ 4     -4 5_-4 -4__
I wan-na know,_ won’t you tell me,_

-3 5ob_ 5 -4_5__ -4 -3_-3”____
(am) I___ in love__ to stay?_____

5 5   -4 5____ 6    6 6 5   5   5    5 5   -4 5
I wan-na know. Take me to the riv-er, I wan-na know,

-6 -6 -6 6   6_ 5      5 5   -4 5____
Dip me in the wa-ter,   I wan-na know.

-6   -6 -6 6   6_ 5_
Walk me in the wa-ter,

-6   -6 -6 6   6_ 5_
Walk me in the water,

-6   -6 -6 6   6_ 5_
Walk me in the water,

-6   -6 -6 6   6_ 5_
Walk me in the water.
        Repeat ad lib and fade

Other artist’s versions of this song include:

Syl Johnson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-2PSp87dN0

Gov’t Mule: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef4wbinQ6L8

Foghat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXVq7VNUPx0

Annie Lennox: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hrm5r7_RWk

and Levon Helm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_95DOmt9Bc

and international appeal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M0WVYkSq_Y&playnext=1&list=PLAF8F7ECF2BE501DB&feature=results_video

[/code]