Catfish John

Bob McDill and Alan Reynolds

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|| C . | F . | C . | G . | C . | C . ||

[C]Mama said Don’t go [F]near that river, 

[C]Don’t be hanging ’round old Catfish [G]John, 

[C]Come the morning I’d [F]always be there, 

[C]Walking in his footsteps in the [G]sweet delta [C]dawn.  

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[C]Take me [F]back to another [C]morning, 

To a [F]time so long a[C]go, 

Where the [F]sweet magnolia [C]blossomed, 

Cotton fields [G]were white as [C]snow. 

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[C]Catfish [F]John was a river [C]hobo,

Lived and [F]died by the river’s [C]bend,

Looking [F]back I still re[C]member,

I was proud [G]to be his [C]friend.

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[C]Mama said don’t go [F]near that river

[C]Don’t be hangin’ ’round old Catfish [G]John

[C]Come the morning I’d [F]always be there

[C]Walking in his footsteps in the [G]sweet delta [C]dawn

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[C]Born a [F]slave in the town of [C]Richmond,

Traded [F]for a chestnut [C]mare,

Lord, he [F]never spoke in [C]anger,

Though his load was [G]hard to [C]bear.

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[C]Mama said don’t go [F]near that river

[C]Don’t be hangin’ ’round old Catfish [G]John

[C]Come the morning I’d al[F]ways be there

[C]Walking in his footsteps in the [G]sweet delta [C]dawn

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Harp Solo Verse 

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[C]Mama said don’t go [F]near that river

[C]Don’t be hangin’ ’round old Catfish [G]John

[C]Come the morning I’d [F]always be there

[C]Walking in his footsteps in the [G]sweet delta [C]dawn

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Guitar Solo verse

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[C]Walking in his footsteps in the [G]sweet delta [C]dawn.

Acapella:

Walking in his footsteps in the sweet delta dawn.