Eminem - River Ukulele Chords
Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Ukulele Em chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram
Ukulele A chord diagram
[chorus]
I’ve been a [Em]liar, been a thief, [G]been a [C]lover, been a cheat
All [D]my sins [Em]need holy water, [G]feel it [C]washing over me
Well [D]little one, [Em]I don’t want to admit to [G]something [C]
If all it’s gonna cause is [D]pain, [Em]truth in my lies [G]right now are [C]falling like the rain
So let the [D]river run
[Opening]
[Em]He’s coming home with his neck scratched to [G]catch flack
[C]Sweat jackets and dress slacks, [D]mismatched
[Em]On his breath’s Jack, he’s a sex addict and [G]she just wants to
[C]Exact revenge and [A]get back [D]
It’s a [Em]chess match, she’s on his back like a [G]jet-pack
She’s [C]kept track of all his Internet chats and [D]guess who just
[Em]Happens to be moving on to the next [G]actually
Just [C]shit on my last chick and she [A]has what my [D]ex lacks
[Em]’Cause she loves danger, [G]psychopath
[C]And you don’t fuck with no man’s girl, even [D]I know that
[Em]But she’s devised some plan to stab him [G]in the back
[C]Knife in hand, says the [A]relationship’s hanging [D]by a strand
[Em]So she’s been on the web lately [G]
Says [C]maybe she’ll be my Gwen Stacy, to [D]spite her man
[Em]And I know she’s using me to [G]try to play him
[C]I don’t care, “hi Suzanne”, but I shoulda said “bye Suzanne”
After the first night, but tonight I am
[chorus]
I’ve been a [Em]liar, been a thief, [G]been a [C]lover, been a cheat
All [D]my sins [Em]need holy water, [G]feel it [C]washing over me
Well [D]little one, [Em]I don’t want to admit to [G]something [C]
If all it’s gonna cause is [D]pain, [Em]truth in my lies [G]right now are [C]falling like the rain
[A]So let the river run
[section 2]
[Em]One-night stand turned to a two-night stand, [G]it was
“Come [C]sunlight, scram,” now we hug tight and [D]
He found [Em]out, now she feels deserted and used [G]
‘Cause he [C]left, so what, he did it [A]first to her too [D]
Now [Em]how am I supposed to tell this girl that we’re through? [G]
It’s [C]hard to find the words, I’m aloof, nervous and [D]Sue
Don’t want this [Em]to hurt but what you deserve is the truth
Don’t [G]take it [C]personal, I just can’t say this in [A]person to you [D]
[Em]So I revert to the studio like hole -[G]in - the - wall [C]diners
Don’t have to be reserved in a [D]booth
I [Em]just feel like the person who I’m turning into’s [G]
[C]Irreversible, I preyed on you like it’s [A]church at the pew [D]
And now that I [Em]got you I don’t want you
Took advantage [G]in my thirst to [C]pursue
Why do I do this dirt that I do? [D]
Get on my [Em]soapbox and preach, my sermon and speech [G]
Detergent [C]and bleach is burning the wound
‘Cause now with her in the womb
We can’t bring her in this world, shoulda knew
To use protection ‘fore I bit into your forbidden fruit
[chorus]
I’ve been (fuck!) a [Em]liar, been a thief, [G]been a [C]lover, been a cheat
All [D]my sins [Em]need holy water, [G]feel it [C]washing over me
Well [D]little one, [Em]I don’t want to admit to [G]something [C]
If all it’s gonna cause is [D]pain, [Em]truth in my lies [G]right now are [C]falling like the rain
[A]So let the river run
[section 3]
[Em]My name’s (oh-oh), [G]my name’s (oh-oh) [C]Denver (oh-oh), river run
Just [Em]call me (oh-oh), [G]call me (oh-oh) [C]River (oh-oh)
We’ll let the river run
[Closing]
[C]Always the bridesmaid, never “the bride, hey”
[D]Fuck can I say, if life was a highway
[C]And deceit was an enclave, I’d be swerving in five lanes
[Em]Speeds at a high rate [D]like I’m sliding on ice maybe
[C]That’s why I’m may have came at you sideways
[D]I can’t keep my lies straight
But I [Em]made you terminate my baby
This love [Em]triangle left us in a wreck, tangled
What else can I [C]say, it was fun for a while, bet I really woulda loved your smile
Didn’t really wanna abort but fuck it, what’s one more lie to tell our unborn child?
[chorus]
I’ve been (fuck!) a [Em]liar, been a thief, [G]been a [C]lover, been a cheat
All [D]my sins [Em]need holy water, [G]feel it [C]washing over me
Well [D]little one, [Em]I don’t want to admit to [G]something [C]
If all it’s gonna cause is [D]pain, [Em]truth in my lies [G]right now are [C]falling like the rain
So let the [D]river run (river run, river run, river run)
How to play River on Ukulele (Step-by-step)
Eminem - River on ukulele requires 5 chords and 8 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
River uses these transitions most often: Em → G (34), G → C (34), and D → Em (28). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with Em - G chord transition.
1. Em → G chord transition
To move from Em to G;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on E string fret 3.
2. G → C chord transition
To move from G to C;
- While playing G, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
3. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on C string fret 2.
4. D → Em chord transition
To move from D to Em;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from C string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 2 and place it on C string fret 4.
5. C → A chord transition
To move from C to A;
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on C string fret 1.
- Place middle finger on G string fret 2.
6. A → D chord transition
To move from A to D;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
7. C → Em chord transition
To move from C to Em;
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 4.
- Place index finger on A string fret 2.
- Place middle finger on E string fret 3.
8. A → Em chord transition
To move from A to Em;
- Lift your index finger from C string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Place ring finger on C string fret 4.
River chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in River.
- River includes 145 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
- River contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
- These transition patterns show how River connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
- C → D: 11%
- C → Em: 8%
After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (17%).- Em → C: 27%
- Em → G: 18%