Here's the promised link to my website where you can listen to a MP3 sample of how I sing this song: Click here!

Of course, since I posted the chords above I have subsequently changed them, and made some minor word changes as well (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up the chords):

From SONGS AND CHANTIES 1914-1916, by Cicely Fox Smith, Elkin Mathews, © 1919, pp. 86-88
Adapted for singing by Charles Ipcar, © 2005
Tune: adapted from 19th century gospel song "Little Black Train"
Key: F (5/C)

RIO GRANDE (C. Fox Smith)

G--------------C---G-----------------------C---G
A ship lies at her moorings, out there in the stream;
-----C
Her lines upon the water are lovely like a dream,
-----G-------------C------G
And like a dream she'll slip away in the dawn-ing gleam,
-----------C----------------------------------------G
For she's bound for Ri-o Grande in the morn-ing;
-----C-----G-------------C-G-------------D-G-----------C-------G
Yes, she's bound for Ri-o Grande, and it's there that I would be,
-----C
And every rope aboard her is singing to be free:
----G-------------C----G
It's good-bye to your sweetheart dear, and good-bye to your bride,
-----------C
For she's bound for Ri-o Grande, with the morning tide!

Chorus:
------G--------------C-G-------------D—G--------------C------G
She's bound for Ri-o Grande, and it's there that you would be,
-----C
And every rope aboard her is singing to be free:
----G-------------C---G
It's good-bye to your sweetheart dear, and good-bye to your bride,
-----------C
For she's bound for Ri-o Grande, with the morning tide!


Now I heard the seagulls piping, and all they seemed to say
Was, "Rise up, young sailorman, it's time to sail away;
Oh, heave your donkey's breakfast in, you can no longer stay,
For you're bound for Rio Grande in the morning;
Yes, you're bound for Rio Grande, and oceans two or three,
And ports a plenty up and down for lively lads to see,
Across the seven seas, Johnnie, round the world so wide,
For you're bound for Rio Grande, with the morning tide!" (CHO)

The lights in Paddy Ryan's bar, still shining on the shore;
Bid your pals good-bye, Johnnie, it's time to pay your score;
You don't want the sight or smell o' this harbour any more,
For you're bound for Rio Grande in the morning;
And it's "Away My Rolling River" – as the sun puts out the stars –
A-tangle in her royal yards, with the frost still on her spars;
Oh, the deep sea hunger's got her, and it's not to be denied,
For she's bound for Rio Grande, with the morning tide! (CHO)

Note: I sing "Rio Grande" as the old sailors did as "Rye-o Grand"

I'm very pleased with how this song worked out. The tune was inspired by a song that Jeff Warner sings on his 2005 CD JEFF WARNER JOLLY TINKER CALLED "Little Black Train," a nineteenth century gospel song.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble