Let Him Go On Mama
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Afinação: E A D G B ETecla: GCapotraste: Sem capotraste
John Hartford song, covered by Mighty Poplar.
[Intro]
G D7
[Verse 1]
G
Well he likes black coffee, fried eggs, and a
D7
Well done T bone steak
D7
He likes her red dress and her pearly white teeth and the
C G
flash of her pretty long legs
C G
He said back in the 30s, you know you never had it made
A7
He worked as an engineer on the Ohio River
D7
Workin' on the Pittsburg trade.
[Verse 2]
G
At the inspection office in Louisville
D7
He had a desk for a very short time
D7
Played in bands on two different boats
C G
Working for the Streckfus line
C
And long ago he smoked reefer
G
And even made home brew
A7
And the reefer come up from New Orleans
D7
Back before World War Two
[Chorus]
G
He's just a feller worked on the river all his
D7
Life by a paddle wheel
D7
They say he's old fashioned
C G
Well that ain't no big deal
C
Oh it's too thick to navigate
G
And it's too thin to plow
D7
Let him go on Mama
G
Don't you put him down for it now
D7 G
[Verse 3]
G
Well he smokes an old Ibold cigar
D7
and he says he doesn't miss it all
D7
But he still goes out and takes a few trips
C G
In the summer and in the fall
C
And the buses and the planes and the railroad trains
G
Are pickin up the slack
A7
He's watching all those river towns
D7
Slowly turn their back
[Chorus]
G
He's just a feller worked on the river all his
D7
Life by a paddle wheel
D7
They say he's old fashioned
C G
Well that ain't no big deal
C
Oh it's too thick to navigate
G
And it's too thin to plow
D7
Let him go on Mama
G
Don't you put him down for it now
D7 G
[Verse 4]
G
Well he comes from a real old time way of life
D7
He had to fight just to learn how
D7
Might even have voted for Nixon once
C G
But I'm sure he sees that now.
C
And on Friday night he makes the best damn
G
gumbo you'd ever want to eat
A7
On Saturday morning 'fore everyone's up,
D7
He's going off down to the fleet
[Chorus]
G
He's just a feller worked on the river all his
D7
Life by a paddle wheel
D7
They say he's old fashioned
C G
Well that ain't no big deal
C
Oh it's too thick to navigate
G
And it's too thin to plow
D7
Let him go on Mama
G
Don't you put him down for it now
D7 G
[Verse 5]
G
Well you're as pretty as he is ugly
D7
And he's the happiest man alive
D7
Somehow you got him thinkin'
C G
That old men are back in style
C
Well you see his oyster Bienville
G
And those baked potato skins
A7
I'll eat em so I can grow up and be
D7
An old man just like him
[Chorus]
G
He's just a feller worked on the river all his
D7
Life by a paddle wheel
D7
They say he's old fashioned
C G
Well that ain't no big deal
C
Oh it's too thick to navigate
G
And it's too thin to plow
D7
Let him go on Mama
G
Don't you put him down for it now
D7 G
How to play Let Him Go On Mama
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is E. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.