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Johnny Cash - Big River Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsF, Bb, C7, G, F7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to D key to play this song with easier chords.

  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar F7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F7 chord diagram

[chorus]
[F] [F] [F] [F] [Bb] [Bb] [F] [F] [C7] [F] [F]
[F]Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry
[F]And I showed the clouds how to cover up a [G]clear blue [C7]sky
And the [F]tears that I cried for that [F7]woman,
are gonna [Bb]flood you Big River
Then [F]I’m gonna sit right [C7]here until I [F]die

[Opening]
[F]I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
[F]And it tore me up every time I heard her [G]drawl, southern [C7]drawl
Then I [F]heard my dream was back [F7]downstream,
[Bb]cavorting in Davenport
And I [F]followed you, Big [C7]River, when you [F]called

[interlude]
[F] [F] [F] [F] [Bb] [Bb] [F] [F] [C7] [F] [F]

[verse 2]
[F]Then you took me to St. Louis later on down the river
[F]A freighter said she’s been here but she’s [G]gone, boy, she’s [C7]gone
[F]I found her trail in Memphis, but she [Bb]just walked up the block
She raised a [F]few eyebrows and then she [C7]went on down a[F]lone

[Closing]
[F]Now, won’t you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on
[F]Take that woman on down to New Or[G]leans, New Or[C7]leans
[F]Go on, I’ve had enough, dump my [Bb]blues down in the gulf
[F]She loves you, Big [C7]River, more than [F]me

[chorus]
[F]Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry
[F]And I showed the clouds how to cover up a [G]clear blue [C7]sky
And the [F]tears that I cried for that [F7]woman, are gonna [Bb]flood you Big River
Then [F]I’m gonna sit right [C7]here until I [F]die

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistJohnny Cash
AlbumSings the Songs That Made Him Famous
GenresCountry, Rock and roll, Rockabilly
Year1958
KeyF

How to play Big River on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Johnny Cash - Big River on guitar requires 5 chords and 6 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Big River uses these transitions most often: C7 → F (12), Bb → F (7), and F → C7 (7). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with F - Bb chord transition.

1. F → Bb chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram

To move from F to Bb;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
  4. Slide your pinky from D string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
F to Bb

2. F → C7 chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram

To move from F to C7;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Lift your pinky from D string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
F to C7

3. F → G chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from F to G;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
F to G

4. G → C7 chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram

To move from G to C7;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 3.
G to C7

5. F → F7 chord transition

To move from F to F7;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

6. F7 → Bb chord transition

To move from F7 to Bb;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 3.

Big River chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Big River.

  • Big River includes 46 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Big River contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Big River connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → G: 21%
    • F → Bb: 5%
    After C7, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (62%), C (4%), and Gm (4%).
    • C7 → F: 62%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.