Lyr Add: River Blues/Ready for the River,new verse

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: River Blues/Ready for the River,
From: MickyMan
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 11:38 AM

Good point, Jim. I hade forgotten about that "that river that runs down to the sea" line. I'm re-entering my 2nd "chorus" here with a few changes that include your suggestion (cause I like it!)

Chorus 1
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
That river that runs down to the sea,
I'm gonna drown my troubles, there'll be just a bubble,
To indicate what used to be me.
I made my will, I wrote some notes, I'm gonna keep on walkin' till my straw hat floats,
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
So get that river ready for me,

Chorus 2 (my made up one ...)
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
That river that runs down to the sea,
Forget my earthly wishes, I'll be singin' with the fishes,
And all the world 'be singin' songs of me.
My woman - she be cryin', my friends - they be sad,
They be talkin' 'bout me like I wasn't so bad!
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
So get that river ready for me,

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: River Blues - another verse (Shivaree Ri
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 09:18 AM

Hey, I just found yet another version, with still more lyrics, in yet another thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: River Blues - another verse (Shivaree Ri
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 09:12 AM

The actual title of this song is READY FOR THE RIVER.

Here's the catalog description from Indiana University Sheet Music Collections:

Title: Ready for the river
Composer: Moret, Neil
Lyricist: Kahn, Gus, 1886-1941
Publisher: Villa Moret Inc.
Place of publication: San Francisco
Date of publication: 1928
Call Number: M1 .D48 Box: 026 Item: 057
Performance Medium: Piano and Voice (with lyrics)
First Line: Tell the world that I'm all thru with it,
Chorus First Line: Ready for the river, the shivery river,
Genre: Popular song
Subject term: Daniels, Charles N. (Neil Moret)

There is more to the song than what you quoted. What you call a verse is actually the chorus; in addition, there is at least one verse (see the version posted here) and possibly two (see the version posted in a blog).

But since you asked for my opinion... (Hey, I'm not used to this. I mostly post only facts, not opinions. I guess it's from feeling stomped on too many times by people who disagreed with my opinions.)

Your added chorus is excellent.

However, I think it would be a good idea to restore the original line "the river that runs down to the sea" and thus avoid having the line "so get that river ready for me" twice in each chorus.

Subject: Lyr Add: River Blues - another verse (Shivaree Ri
From: MickyMan
Date: 01 Mar 09 - 05:46 PM

This song has always seemed to have only one verse (see below) and so I wrote another one. What do mudcatters think?

Verse 1
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
So get that river ready for me,
I'm gonna drown my troubles, there'll be just a bubble,
To indicate what used to be me.
I made my will, I wrote some notes, I'm gonna keep on walkin' till my straw hat floats,
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
So get that river ready for me,

verse 2 (my made up one ...)
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
So get that river ready for me,
Forget my earthly wishes, I'd be singin' with the fishes,
And all the world 'be singin' songs of me.
My woman would be cryin', my friends would be sad,
They'd be talkin' 'bout me like I wasn't so bad!
I'm ready for that river, that Shivaree River,
So get that river ready for me,