Roll on Columbia

Woodie Gutherie

[Verse 1]
C                            G
Green Douglas firs where the waters cut through.
                            C
Down her wild mountains and canyons she flew.
         C7               F        D7/F#
Canadian Northwest to the ocean so blue,
     G                       C
It's Roll on, Columbia, roll On!
 
{ CHORUS }
C        G
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
G        C
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
     C7                   F           D7/F#
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn,
    G                       C
So, Roll on, Columbia, roll on
 
[Verse 2]

C                      G
Other great rivers add power to you,
G                      C
Yakima, Snake, and the Klickitat, too,
C7                     F           D7/F#
Sandy, Willamette, and Hood River, too;
G                      C
Roll on Columbia, roll on!
 
     C                                   G
It's there on your banks that you fought many a fight,
G                      C
Sheridan's boys in the block house at night,
     C7                   F        D7/F#
They saw us in death, but never in flight;
G                       C
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
 
{ CHORUS }
C        G
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
G        C
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
     C7                   F           D7/F#
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn,
    G                       C
So, Roll on, Columbia, roll on
 
[Verse 3]
C                               G
Our loved ones we lost there at Coe's little store,
G                        C
By fireball and rifle, a dozen or more,
   C7                  F            D7/F#
We won by the Mary and soldiers she bore;
G                       C
Roll on, Columbia, Roll On!
 
C                           G
Remember the trial when the battle was won,
G                               C
The wild Indian warriors to the tall timber run,
C7                        F            D7/F#
We hung every Indian with smoke in his gun;
G                  C
Roll on, Columbia, Roll on!
 
C                      G
Year after year we had tedious trials,
G                      C
Fighting the rapids at Cascades and Dalles.
C7                          F         D7/F#
The Injuns rest peaceful on Memaloose Isle;
G                  C
Roll on, Columbia, Roll on!
 
{ CHORUS }
C        G
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
G        C
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
C7                        F           D7/F#
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn,
    G                       C
So, Roll on, Columbia, roll on
 
[Verse 4]
C                           G
At Bonneville now there are ships in the locks,
G                         C
The waters have risen and drownded the rocks,
C7                        F            D7/F#
Ship loads of plenty will steam in the docks,
G                       C
Roll On, Columbia, Roll On!
 
C                        G
On up the river at Grand Coulee Dam,
G                    C
Mightiest thing ever built by a man,
C7                                 F     D7/F#
We run the great factories for old Uncle Sam,
     G                       C
It's roll on, Colombia, Roll on.
 
{ CHORUS }
C        G
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
G        C
Roll on, Columbia, roll on.
C7                        F           D7/F#
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn,
    G                       C
So, Roll on, Columbia, roll on