Down to the River to Pray chords

An early version appeared in the 1867 collection Slave Songs of the United States. It is usually sung slowly with very simple accompaniment.

Chords
3
Level
Beginner
Time
4/4

Chords

Chart

Verse

  1. D
  2. /
  3. G
  4. D
  5. D
  6. /
  7. A
  8. /
  9. D
  10. /
  11. G
  12. D
  13. D
  14. A
  15. D
  16. /

How to play it

You need 3 chords: D, G and A. The change you'll make most is D to G, so practice switching between those two slowly before playing along.

Each box is one bar of 4/4 time. Strum the chord on the beat, and change when the next box starts. A slash means keep playing the same chord.

Questions

What chords are in Down to the River to Pray?

This arrangement uses D, G and A.

Is Down to the River to Pray easy to play on guitar?

Yes. It only needs 3 open chords, so it's a good beginner song.