Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Catfish John Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram
[chorus]
[G] [D] [G] [D] [G] [D] [A] [D]
[D]Mama said don’t go [G]near that river
[D]Don’t be hangin’ around old catfish [A]John
[D]But come the morning I’d [G]always be there
[D]Walking in his footsteps in the [A]sweet delta [D]dawn.
[Opening]
Born a [G]slave in the town of [D]Vicksburg
Traded [G]for a chestnut [D]mare
He [G]never spoke a word in [D]anger
Though his load was [A]hard to [D]bear.
[chorus]
[D]Mama said don’t go [G]near that river
[D]Don’t be hangin’ around old catfish [A]John
[D]But come the morning I’d [G]always be there
[D]Walking in his footsteps in the [A]sweet delta [D]dawn.
[verse 2]
[G] [D] [G] [D] [G] [D] [A] [D]
[D]Catfish [G]John was a river [D]hobo
He lived and [G]died on the river [D]bend
Lookin’ [G]back I still re[D]member
I was proud to [A]be his [D]friend.
[chorus]
[D]Mama said don’t go [G]near that river
[D]Don’t be hangin’ around old catfish [A]John
[D]But come the morning I’d [G]always be there
[D]Walking in his footsteps in the [A]sweet delta [D]dawn.
[verse 3]
[G] [D] [G] [D] [G] [D] [A] [D]
[D]Let me [G]dream of another [D]morning
And a [G]time so long [D]ago
When the [G]sweet magnolias [D]blossomed
And the cotton fields were [A]white as [D]snow.
[chorus]
[D]Mama said don’t go [G]near that river
[D]Don’t be hangin’ around old catfish [A]John
[D]But come the morning I’d [G]always be there
[D]Walking in his footsteps in the [A]sweet delta [D]dawn.
[Closing]
[D]Come the morning I’d [G]always be there
[D]Walking in his footsteps in the [A]sweet delta [D]dawn.
How to play Catfish John on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Catfish John on guitar requires 3 chords and 2 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.
Catfish John uses these transitions most often: G → D (27), D → G (26), and A → D (15). 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 G - D chord transition.
1. G → D chord transition
To move from G to D;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
2. D → A chord transition
To move from D to A;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 3 to fret 2.
Catfish John chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Catfish John.
- Catfish John includes 83 chord transitions, 2 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Catfish John contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Catfish John connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
- D → G: 29%
- D → A: 17%
After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).- G → D: 24%