Intro: E5 , A5 , A5 , E5 x2

              A5                                                      E5
were you there when the man from atlanta was murdered in memphis
         A5                                    E5
did you see him layin at the low rent hotel
         A5                                    E5
did you hear them say that the cia is witness
         C5                          B5                  E5                  D5
to the murder of a man at a motel in memphis

chorus:
               E5                              A5
motel in memphis, motel in memphis
A5                                                                 E5            D5
run and tell somebody, theres blood on the riverside
            E5                                 A5
old muddy water, rollin through memphis
A5                                                                         E5
if you were there youd swear it was more than a man who died

E5 , C5 , B(note), A5 , B(note), C(note), D(note), E5
                                     (walks up here)
 
did you see coretta she's sobbin on the corner in a black veil
did you see mr crump in a white coat grin
did you walk down river where the cotton woods are swingin
with ghostly bodies of man

repeat chorus

instrumental is the same chords as the chorus

were you there with mahalya wailin at the funeral
did you watch them lower his casket in
did you tremble when you thought about the future
and cry out for a modern man

repeat chorus