A
The day the river freezes
       Bm
Is the day it won't seem fair
               D
'Cause they'll come to get the River Lady
    D                     A
And I don't think they'll care

  A
I know they'll scrape her paint off
         Bm
In their same old foolish ways
        D
Now the people see the river
        D               A
But the old ships gone away

A           D
Water turns cold and gets ta freezin'
                A
Before you even know it, the old girl's easin'
              C#m
Away from her berth, round by the point
               D
And out of our view

           D
Off in the mist, her engine's poundin'
            A
Like on the banks, that old horn's soundin'
             C#m                               D
A little goodbye, a little I'll do what I must do
             C#m                D              A
A little goodbye, a little I'll do what I must do

  A
I know I will remember
       Bm
When I cannot hear that horn
           D
That would roll up by the mountains
       D                   A
As she took us through the storm

  A
I know they've got to take her
      Bm
But I can't say I approve
             D
'Cause she's won so many battles
       D               A
That I hate to see her lose

A           D
Water turns cold and gets ta freezin'
                A
Before you even know it, the old girl's easin'
              C#m
Away from her berth, round by the point
               D
And out of our view
             C#m                               D
A little goodbye, a little I'll do what I must do
             C#m                D              A
A little goodbye, a little I'll do what I must do


A           D
Water turns cold and gets ta freezin'
                A
Before you even know it, the old girl's easin'
              C#m
Away from her berth, round by the point
               D
And out of our view

           D
Off in the mist, her engine's poundin'
            A
Like on the banks, that old horn's soundin'
             C#m                               D
A little goodbye, a little I'll do what I must do
             C#m                D              A
A little goodbye, a little I'll do what I must do