Old Time River Man

By:John Hartford · Source Recording: John Hartford (1989)Song details

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Where does an old time river man go
After he's passed away
Does his soul still keep a watch on the deep
For the rest of the river days
Does he then come back as a channel cat
Or the wasps that light on the wheel
Or the birds that fly through a summer sky
Or the fish swimmin' under the keel

Where does an old time pilot go
After he stood his last watch
Does he fall by the ear of the man who steers
Sayin' hold her on that notch
There's a gentle sneeze in the river breeze
Sayin' son I'm goin' to bed
And they light their pipes and go off in the night
Or was that fireflies instead

Where does an old time engineer go
After he's cooled her down
Gone up the hill to never come back
On the quiet side of town
Does his soul live on in the engine's soul
While the striker checks the gears
Is he still afloat on an old steam boat
After he's gone from here

Tempo BPM

Key E

Verse

A^*

C#m

*Verse 1 only: [1] chord here

100%

By:John Hartford · Source Recording:John Hartford (1989)

Song Details

Also Known As

Old Time Riverboat Man, Old Time Riverman

Songwriter

John Hartford

First Release

John Hartford (1989)

Genres

Americana Contemporary Bluegrass

Themes

Death and Mourning Rivers, Seas & Oceans

Jam Popularity

History

“Old Time River Man” was written by John Hartford. He first recorded it for Down on the River (Flying Fish, December 1989), an album credited to John Hartford & the Hartford String Band that was made at the Cowboy Arms Hotel & Recording Spa in Nashville. Hartford, a fiddler and banjo player from St. Louis, was known for his knowledge of Mississippi River lore, and in the 1970s he earned a steamboat pilot’s license; he worked as a pilot on the steamboat Julia Belle Swain and as a towboat pilot on the Mississippi, Illinois and Tennessee rivers.