Lyr Add: Seventeen Years on the River (Randy Burns

Subject: RE: 17 Years On Your River
From: GUEST,Merritt
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 01:27 PM

Thanks!!!

Subject: RE: 17 Years On Your River
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Nov 02 - 10:11 AM

Randy Burns and the Sky Dog Band recorded a song called "Seventeen Years on the River" on their 1971 eponymous album, and on their 1973 album "Still on Our Feet." Randy Burns claimed credit for writing it, but it's common for people to do that when they only modified an older traditional song.

I found this information by using Google and the search argument "Seventeen Years on * River" (in quotes). Strangely, Google doesn't publicize the fact that you can use wild cards, but it seems to work.

Subject: Lyr Add: SEVENTEEN YEARS ON THE RIVER (Randy Burns
From: GUEST,Merritt
Date: 02 Nov 02 - 10:12 AM

When I was in a folk-rock band in high school, a few centuries ago, we did a song called "Seventeen Years On Your River." We picked it up somewhere.

I remember the first verse, chorus, melody and chords. But, other than the first verse and chorus, I don't know the words. Please look over the clues below and see if any of you boomers can help me with this. Chords (below in standard tuning) are repetitive, one of those standard I-VI-II-V sort of things. Song is played slowish, beat steady. Chorus very similar in structure to verse. (By InvD, I mean D major chord with F# in the bass rather than as highest note in chord.)

   D          Bm          Em7    A7sus4
1. People say I should forgive her

D               Bm         Em7 A7
I don't know if I have the time

D          Bm         Em    A7
Take me too long to outlive her

             G             InvD          Em
I'd just say "Sorry, Babe, I don't have the time."

      A7------------
And I feel like I been..

CHORUS:
17 years on your river,
17 years on your river,
17 years on your river,
Tell me, Mama, don't that make you proud?
Yeah, tell me, Mama, don't that make you proud?

2. ?????….

Sound/Look familiar? I think we're talking late-1960s here. It was never a hit. It was performed by a Jamie Brockett-sounding folkie male vocalist. I've tried the Google-type searches. Searched here.

Rest of lyrics would be great. Unexpected bonus would be singer, writer.

Thanks!

- Merritt