From: pwilson@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Pete Wilson)
       Red River Valley  (traditional)

this arrangement by Peter Wilson (closely based on the Reader's
digest Family Song Book, inspired by the Kentucky Headhunters)


This is your basic major chord progression in Gmajor
but I use some more advanced inversions to follow the melody
which I show below.  The numbers in parenthesis are my own notation
and indicate the inversion in use.  I came up with this by a
process of playing around, and I'm not God, so feel free to
experiment with this.  The song uses a lot of parallel sixths
which I play using a regular pick and a finger pick on my
long finger which is a standard country technique.  Finger them
like this.  (Numbers are for fingers, not frets here)

      --1---|-------|-------|---2---|-------
      ------|-------|-------|-------|-------
      ------|---2---|-------|---2---|-------
      -
      -
      -
Sliding sixths are a lick which sounds very much like a steel
guitar.  There is a particularly choice one on the last line.
Notice it is the bottom (bass) note which is slid.  This tab comes
with no warranty and I accept no liability for consequential
damages. This song is a great confidence builder for beginners as
it isn't too hard to play, but makes you sound like a country pro.
Oh yeah,  the passages I have marked stacatto, use a real common
lead guitar lick.  After sounding the notes release the strings
quickly.  You want to make the guitar chirp.

    x x                x x               x x             x x
    -----------        -----------       -----------     -----------
    | | | o | o        | | | | | o       | | | | | o     | | | | | o
  7 -----------      3 -----------     5 -----------   3  ----------
    | | | | o |        | | | | | |       | | | | | |     | | | o | |
    -----------        -----------       -----------     -----------
    | | o | | |        | | o o o |       | | o o o |     | | o | | |
    -----------        -----------       -----------     -----------
        G(7)               C(3)             D(5)         | | | | o |
                                                         -----------
                                                             G7

                                         x x             x x
    -----------        -----------       -----------     -----------
    o o o o o o        o o o o o o       | | | o o o     | | | | | o
  8 -----------      3 -----------     5 -----------  10 -----------
    | | | o | |        | | | o | |       | | | | | |     | | | | | |
    -----------        -----------       -----------     -----------
    | o o | | |        | o o | | |       | | o | o |     | | o o o |
    -----------        -----------       -----------     ------------
       C(8)               G(3)               D7              G(10)






                      Red River Valley (traditional)
                                                             adlib
                      G(7)            G(3)             C(3)  strum
   |-------------3--|-7---7---7---5--|-3---3---5---3--|-----3----------|
   |---------3---3--|-8---8----------|-----3----------|-5---5----------|
   |----------------|-7---7---7---5--|-4---4---5---4--|-5---5----------|
   |----------------|-9---9----------|-----5----------|-----5----------|
   |----------------|----------------|-----5----------|----------------|
   |----------------|----------------|-----3----------|----------------|
           from this val -    ley they say    you are  go -ing

                                                             adlib
                     G(7)             G(10)            D(7)  strum
   |-------------3--|-7---7---7---7--|-10--10--8---7--|-5--------------|
   |---------3---3--|-8---8-------8--|-12--12--10--8--|-7--------------|
   |----------------|-7---7---7------|-12--12---------|-7--------------|
   |----------------|-9---9----------|-12--12---------|-7--------------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
            we will   miss    yr brt   eyes    + sweet  smile

                                                              adlib
                     G(7)             G7       (sl)    C(8)   strum
   |-------------3--|-7---7---7---5--|-3---3---5---7--|-10--8----------|
   |---------3------|-8---8-------7--|-6---6---6---8--|-----8----------|
   |----------------|-7---7---7------|-4---4----------|-10--9----------|
   |----------------|-9---9----------|-5---5----------|-----10---------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----10---------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----8----------|
            for they  say    you are   ta-    king the sun shine

                             { ----staccatto ------  }        adlib
                     G(3)    |        D7             | G(3)  strum
   |----------------|-3---3---3---5--|-7-------5---5--|-3--------------|
   |-------------5--|-3---3----------|----------------|-3--------------|
   |-------------5--|-4---4---3---5--|-7-------5---5--|-4--------------|
   |----------------|-5---5----------|----------------|-5--------------|
   |----------------|-5---5----------|----------------|-5--------------|
   |----------------|-3---3----------|----------------|-3--------------|
               that  bright -ens our  path    way  a    while

                                                             adlib
                     G(7)             D7               G(3)  strum
   |-------------3--|-7---7---7--7---|-7---7---5---7--|-5---3----------|
   |---------3---3--|-8---8----------|-7---7---7---7--|-----3----------|
   |----------------|-7---7---7--7---|-7---7---5---7--|-5---4----------|
   |----------------|-9---9----------|-9---9---7---9--|-----5----------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----5----------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----3----------|
            come +   sit     by  my   side    if  you  love me

                     { ------ stacatto ---------------}       adlib
                     G(7)             G(10)           |D(7)   strum
   |-------------3--|-7-------3---7--|-10------8---7--|-5--------------|
   |---------3---3--|----------------|---------10--8--|-7--------------|
   |----------------|-7-------4---7--|-12-------------|-7--------------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-7--------------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
            do not    hast-  en  to    bid    me   a   dieu

                                                              adlib
                     G(7)             G7       (sl)     C(8)  strum
   |---------10--8--|-7---7---7---5--|-3---3---5---7--|-10--8----------|
   |---------10--10-|-8---8-------7--|-6---6---6---8--|-----8----------|
   |----------------|-7---7---7------|-4---4----------|-10--9----------|
   |----------------|-9---9----------|-5---5----------|-----10---------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----10---------|
   |----------------|----------------|----------------|-----8----------|
            but re-  mem-   ber  the   red    ri- ver   valley

                              slide                           adlib
                     G(3)     bottom  D7               G(3)   strum
   |----------------|-3---3---2---3--|-5---5---7---5--|-3--------------|
   |---------5---5--|-3---3----------|-7---7---7---7--|-3--------------|
   |---------5---5--|-4---4---2---4--|-5---5---7---5--|-4--------------|
   |----------------|-5---5----------|-7---7---9---7--|-5--------------|
   |----------------|-5---5----------|----------------|-5--------------|
   |----------------|-3---3----------|----------------|-3--------------|
            and the  cow-    boy who loves   you so   true