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BACK TO THE RIVER
Lachlan Irvine
[Em][C][G]/[Em][C][D]/[G][D][Em]/[C]/[G][D]
[G] Take me [D] back to the [Em] river, [C] the playground of my [G] youth, [D]
[G] I've been too [D] long in the [Em] grown-up world, [C] looking for some kind of [D] truth;
[Em] Wash me [C] in the [G] water, [Em] let my [C] sins go [D] free,
[G] Let all my [D] cares float [Em] downstream [C] and drift on out to [G] sea. [D]
[G] I long to [D] hear the [Em] ripples [C] lapping at the [G] shore, [D]
[G] There's nothing [D] that I [Em] wouldn't give [C] to be back there once [D] more;
[Em] To be with [C] friends and [G] cousins, [Em] playing [C] in the [D] sun,
[G] Each day a [D] new ad-[Em]-venture [C] of never ending [G] fun. [D]
[G] My uncle [D] ran the [Em] ferry, [C] we rode all day for [G] free, [D]
[G] Dropped our [D] lines in the [Em] water, [C] to catch some bream for [D] tea;
[Em] The shark-proof [C] pool by the [G] jetty [Em] was every [C] child's H-[D]-Q,
[G] We never [D] ran out of [Em] games to play, [C] or wondered what to [G] do. [D]
[G] I learnt to [D] swim in the [Em] river, [C] when I was three or [G] four, [D]
[G] That's my [D] earliest [Em] memory, [C] but life brought many [D] more;
[Em] A first sweet [C] kiss in the [G] boatshed, [Em] the moonlight [C] on her [D] face,
[G] One precious [D] memory [Em] shared [C] can make a sacred [G] place. [D]
[Em][C][G]/[Em][C][D]/[G][D][Em]/[C]/[G][D]
[G] The ferry [D] doesn't [Em] run now, [C] the boatshed's been knocked [G] down, [D]
[G] All those [D] friends of my [Em] childhood [C] grew up and moved to [D] town;
[Em] But I re-[C]-member the [G] river, [Em] the way it [C] was back [D] then,
[G] Life has [D] never [Em] felt so free, [C] and never will a-[G]-gain. [D]
[G] When city [D] life gets too [Em] heavy, [C] and heartaches hard to [G] face, [D]
[G] It calls to [D] me from my [Em] dreaming, [C] that golden time and [D] place;
[Em] The rhythms [C] of the [G] river, [Em] they dance to [C] nature's [D] tune,
[G] Those magic [D] days of [Em] summer [C] were over much too [G] soon. [D]
[G] So take me [D] back to the [Em] river, [C] the playground of my [G] youth, [D]
[G] I've been too [D] long in the [Em] grown-up world, [C] looking for some kind of [D] truth;
[Em] The rhythms [C] of the [G] river, [Em] they dance to [C] nature's [D] tune,
[G] Those magic [D] days of [Em] summer [C] were over much too [G] soon. [D]
[G] Those magic [D] days of [Em] summer [C] were over much too [G] soon.
[Em][C][G]/[Em][C][D]/[G][D][Em]/[C]/[G][D][G]
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When I was a child, living in western New South Wales, most of my extended family lived in Croki and Mitchells Island, on
the Manning River delta, downstream from Taree. My family's Christmas holidays were always spent staying with those relatives.
It was an idyllic way for children to spend the school holidays. To hear my home-made recording of this song, go to:
BACK TO THE RIVER
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