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If the River Was Whiskey Clawhammer banjo Tabs

Charlie Poole

If the River Was Whiskey Clawhammer banjo Tablature: One Song, Many Styles

Recomended level: Intermediate

Tags: #old-time, #vocal, #major key

This is a great old-time song most widely associated with Charlie Poole. You may want to start with the Backup then the Clawhammer - Simple arrangement. Those will help give you a foundation on the tune by helping you learn to navigate the chord changes and the basic melody. The Clawhammer arrangement is quite challenging.

Learn how to play If the River Was Whiskey on Clawhammer banjo with this selection of tablatures:

  • Clawhammer banjo If the River Was Whiskey Backup

    Backup

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      60 bpm
    • Tuning
      GCGCD

    Learn to play some basic backup for "If the River Was Whiskey". Get your banjer in double C tuning and jump on in. Make sure you can play the basic bum-ditty pattern in measure 1, a...

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  • Clawhammer banjo If the River Was Whiskey Clawhammer - Basic

    Clawhammer - Basic

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      60 bpm
    • Tuning
      GCGCD

    This basic Clawhammer banjo version of If the River Was Whiskey is big fun and not too challenging. There are a few extra 1 beat measures which can feel weird, but that's just part ...

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  • Clawhammer banjo If the River Was Whiskey Clawhammer

    Clawhammer

    • Difficulty
    • Key
      C
    • Tempo
      60 bpm
    • Tuning
      GCGCD

    This arrangement of If the River Was Whiskey is full of challenges, and not for beginners. You need to have command of Hammer-ons, pull-offs and alternate string pull-offs AKA 'ASPO'...

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If the River Was Whiskey lyrics

If the river was whiskey and I was a duck I'd dive to the bottom and I'd never come up Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?


If the river was whiskey and the branch was wine You would see me in bathing just any old time Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?


I was born in England, raised in France I ordered a suit of clothes and they wouldn't send the pants Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?


I was born in Alabama, I was raised in Tennessee If you don't like my peaches, don't shake on my tree Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?


I looked down the road just as far as I could see A man had my woman and the blues had me Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?


I ain't no doctor but the doctor's son I can do the doct'rin' till the doctor comes Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?


Got the hesitation stockings, the hesitation shoes Believe to my Lord I've got the hesitation blues Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?