Down By The River
Roy Buchanan Lyrics
Down by the river
Be on my side,
I'll be on your side,
Baby
There is no reason
For you to hide
It's so hard for me
Staying here all alone
When you could be
Yeah, she could drag me
Over the rainbow,
Send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.
You take my hand,
I'll take your hand
Together we may get away
This much madness
Is too much sorrow
It's impossible
To make it today.
Yeah, she could drag me
Over the rainbow,
Send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.
Be on my side,
I'll be on your side,
Baby
There is no reason
For you to hide
It's so hard for me
Staying here all alone
When you could be
Taking me for a ride.
Yeah, she could drag me
Over the rainbow,
Send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead
Contributed by Alexis H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Roy Buchanan's (September 23, 1939 - August 14, 1988) musical career began in Pixley, California. His father was a sharecropper (not a Pentecostal preacher as Buchanan himself had claimed). Buchanan told how his first musical memories were of racially-mixed revival meetings his family would attend. "Gospel," he recalled, "that's how I first got into black music". He in fact drew upon many disparate influences while learning to play his instrument (although he later claimed his aptitude was derived from being "half-wolf"). Read Full BioRoy Buchanan's (September 23, 1939 - August 14, 1988) musical career began in Pixley, California. His father was a sharecropper (not a Pentecostal preacher as Buchanan himself had claimed). Buchanan told how his first musical memories were of racially-mixed revival meetings his family would attend. "Gospel," he recalled, "that's how I first got into black music". He in fact drew upon many disparate influences while learning to play his instrument (although he later claimed his aptitude was derived from being "half-wolf"). He initially showed talent on the steel guitar before switching to the standard instrument in the early 50's.
In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Dale Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's guitar player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan left the group.
The early 60's found Buchanan performing numerous gigs as a sideman with multiple rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians such as Freddy Cannon and Merle Kilgore.
Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan pinch harmonics. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with The British Walkers. In the mid-'60's, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own groups. One of these groups was called The Snakestretchers, an allusion to Buchanan's disdain for the vagaries of the band experience. The Snakestretchers became a semi-permanent combo for Buchanan starting in this period, with whom he made his first acclaimed recording as a front man, Roy Buchanan & the Snakestretchers. Danny Gatton was another respected Telecaster master who lived in Washington, D.C. at that time. Both musicians gained reputations as under-appreciated guitarists.
In 1971, riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included praise from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan gained national notoriety as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show rejuvenated a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He recorded five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing most major rock concert halls and festivals. Finally, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.
Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio. It was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with favorable reviews.
His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring three songs with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton, won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.
He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, Hot Wires, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest, and Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and blues singer Kanika Kress.
Buchanan died August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail while being held after an arrest for public drunkeness. His death was ruled a suicide, although that finding has been disputed by friends and family.
In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Dale Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's guitar player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan left the group.
The early 60's found Buchanan performing numerous gigs as a sideman with multiple rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians such as Freddy Cannon and Merle Kilgore.
Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan pinch harmonics. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with The British Walkers. In the mid-'60's, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own groups. One of these groups was called The Snakestretchers, an allusion to Buchanan's disdain for the vagaries of the band experience. The Snakestretchers became a semi-permanent combo for Buchanan starting in this period, with whom he made his first acclaimed recording as a front man, Roy Buchanan & the Snakestretchers. Danny Gatton was another respected Telecaster master who lived in Washington, D.C. at that time. Both musicians gained reputations as under-appreciated guitarists.
In 1971, riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included praise from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan gained national notoriety as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show rejuvenated a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He recorded five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing most major rock concert halls and festivals. Finally, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.
Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio. It was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with favorable reviews.
His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring three songs with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton, won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.
He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, Hot Wires, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest, and Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and blues singer Kanika Kress.
Buchanan died August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail while being held after an arrest for public drunkeness. His death was ruled a suicide, although that finding has been disputed by friends and family.
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OptimisticDeadman
3:22 ...Notice his Deluxe Reverb....pointing to the back of the stage...he played it Cranked fully, and would attenuate the loudness by pointing it away from the crowd if it was too small, or alternatively put, if too loud for the venue...
That way He could maintain his sound without losing an ounce of tube distortion or impacting negatively on his sound but having to play at a lower setting
Very Old school.
I still do not get how he could get such a sound from that amp, his blackguard Telecaster and just a cable...straight in...oh and his hands and fingers of course.
He could squeeze out sounds as huge as Jimmy Page or Toni Iommi playing huge stadiums with Marshall/Laney/Hiwatt/Orange stacks...and a Les Paul and SG respectively...but you could see it, you could imagine it, all that skill of those two and those amps and those guitars, you can "see" how they get that sound with copious use of each of their respective talents for the guitar.
But Roy...
Roy blows you're mind, because even subjectively, as this my opinion of course,...it makes no sense how he gets that sound. ( look up on youtube "Cranked Deluxe Reverb with Telecaster" great sounds, sure, some of the best distorted rock tones...but can you find Roy...Nope. Only he could do what he did.
That subtlety, emotive nature, that weeping, that growl, that moaning tone, that screaming, that vocal guitar playing... and sometimes all at once...in fact, almost always all together, or focusing on a certain type of sound. Only Roy could get that...and you simply can't find were or how he did.
.. and it just blows my mind. He was made of pure awesome guitar sound, in his mind it was all there ready to come out. He could make it the sweetest and/or the nastiest...leaving behind only a mystery as to how he did. The talent he had was simply tremendous as only it could explain it.
Once asked about why he never made "guitar faces" or showed outwardly obvious forethought...He answered: " Because it's all going on up here ", pointing to his head. A Master he is for sure.
xwarx1000
One of the most naturally gifted guitarist to ever walk the earth.
TextSMS Master
@EvanBluz Howdy Evan .. yep .. ACL Live in Austin back early 70's .. front row too .. he performed with his telecaster .. he did stuff on that ax that I've never seen duplicated .. I've never personally liked to play telecasters .. I'm a Vintage Strat and SG guy .. but to watch Roy bend with absolute perfect pitch and hit harmonics while doing so blew me and crowds away .. I watched him break his high E string and continue to play without batting an eye .. and without losing his continuity too .. I grew up picking with some awesome and now legend guitarists .. I still practice, play, record, write, teach and once in awhile make an appearance to perform or sit in .. it's been my 2nd job throughout my lifetime
EvanBluz
@TextSMS Master Wow Austin City Limits, lucky you!
Yeehee
Roy and Rory both
TextSMS Master
I was at several of Roys gigs on his way to popularity .. Iconic performances at Austin City limits even Houston at the old State Bank Building called Fitzgerald's .. met him personally autographed one of his albums and shared some time over a couple beers .. his mysterious and tragic death supposedly hanging himself in a Podunk jail cell after being arrested on a DWI?
He was a quiet family man making a living to support his family and career .. does that make any sense?
Rudemooddude Hamburg
Iam sure it was a lot of work and not Talent only
Bill Woo
Many know of his tone dominance. He's one of a kind, an instantly identifiable legend when you hear him play a note, like Carlos Santana or Jeff Beck. What is phenomenally great among him (and Beck and Santana), and makes a guitarist truly legendary, is his choice of notes. Probably thousands of guitarists have taken a shot at jamming to Hey Joe or Down By the River. But not like this. Roy's choice of notes is so utterly moving and emotional that it's astonishing. Legendary.
Rick Haden
He ALWAYS seems to go to a higher plane of consciousness. It starts out as sort of noodling, then slowly and softly he drifts off to that other place where all the notes in the universe are suspended around him and the rest of the world is gone. He just goes from there into another state as he builds it up. And when he then brings you back to the rest of the band, you think wow, he just magically took us on a journey. Words can’t quite express it can they?!
EvanBluz
Roy was the man for sure
Bill Woo
Like Clapton achieved on Let It Rain. Like Dickey Betts achieved on Whipping Post (and the rest of that album, OMFG). What I'm talking about is something deeper than what the spectacular Terry Kath and Gilmour did on their greatest runs. I'm talking about finding those special notes, those deeply emotional notes, that can make one literally cry upon hearing them.
Carlos and Jeff did that so many times it's ridiculous. And Roy - oh, God, yes.