{"id":262,"date":"2021-05-10T03:01:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-10T03:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/?p=262"},"modified":"2025-08-19T15:40:41","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T15:40:41","slug":"down-by-the-riverside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/down-by-the-riverside\/","title":{"rendered":"Down by the Riverside"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>1-4-5<\/p>\n<p>Down by the Riverside by Akst and Davis<br \/>\nKey of A<br \/>\n<input type='hidden' bg_collapse_expand='69ea4895242ad5029304506' value='69ea4895242ad5029304506'><input type='hidden' id='bg-show-more-text-69ea4895242ad5029304506' value='Show More'><input type='hidden' id='bg-show-less-text-69ea4895242ad5029304506' value=''><button id='bg-showmore-action-69ea4895242ad5029304506' class='bg-showmore-plg-button bg-orange-button  '   style=\" color:#4a4949;\">Show More<\/button><div id='bg-showmore-hidden-69ea4895242ad5029304506' ><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">Down by the Riverside (also known as Ain&#8217;t Gonna Study War No More) dates back to before the American Civil War, though it was first published in 1918 in Plantation Melodies. The song was first recorded by the Fisk University jubilee quartet in 1920 (published by Columbia in 1922), and there are at least 14 black gospel recordings before World War II.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">Because of its pacifistic imagery, Down by the Riverside has also been used as an anti-war protest song, especially during the Vietnam War. The song is also included in collections of socialist and labor songs.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">The song has many lyrical variations, though usually each stanza follows a standard form,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">with one sentence that differs from one stanza to the next. The song often begins:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/div><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna lay down my sleepy head<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Down by the riverside (repeat 3 x)<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna lay down my burden<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Down by the riverside<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">With the chorus:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">I ain&#8217;t gonna study war no more<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Study war no more<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Ain&#8217;t gonna study war no more<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Other lines that can appear in stanzas,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">in place of &#8220;Gonna lay down my burden&#8221;, include:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna lay down my heavy load<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna lay down my sword and shield<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna try on my long white robe<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna try on my starry crown<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna put on my golden shoes<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna talk with the Prince of Peace<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna shake hands around the world<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna cross the river Jordan<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna climb upon that mountain<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Gonna climb the road to heaven<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><code class=\"_3enQP\"><\/code><\/p>\n<pre class=\"_3F2CP _3hukP\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down By The Riverside chords\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Traditional\r\n<\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna lay down my sword and shield\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna lay down my sword and shield\r\n<\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">            <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Ain't gonna study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain t gonna Study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain t gonna Study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand; \r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down By the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna stick my sword in the golden sand\r\n<\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain t gonna Study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain t gonna Study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna put on my long white robe;\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down By the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna put on my long white robe;\r\n<\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain t gonna Study war no more. \r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain t gonna Study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna put on my starry crown; \r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down By the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\"><span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna put on my starry crown;\r\n<\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Down by the riverside\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">      <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">Gonna study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n<span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna Study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"C\">C<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more,\r\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"_2jIGi\"><span class=\"_3rlxz\">              <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D\">D<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"D7\">D7<\/span>     <span class=\"_3PpPJ OrSDI\" data-name=\"G\">G<\/span>\r\n<\/span><span class=\"_3rlxz\">I ain't gonna study war no more.\r\n<\/span><\/span> \r\n \r\n<span class=\"_3rlxz\">Set8\r\n<\/span><\/pre>\n<div class=\"VvVqJ\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>189. DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE 1953 |<br \/>\nI MET MY LITTLE BRIGHT-EYED DOLL,<br \/>\nDOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [REPEAT 3 TIMES]<br \/>\nI MET MY LITTLE BRIGHT-EYED DOLL,<br \/>\nDOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [REPEAT 2 TIMES]<br \/>\nI ASKED HER FOR A LITTLE KISS,<br \/>\nDOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [REPEAT 3 TIMES]<br \/>\nI ASKED HER FOR A LITTLE KISS,<br \/>\nDOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [REPEAT 2 TIMES]<br \/>\nSHE SAID, \u201cHAVE PATIENCE, LITTLE MAN;<br \/>\nBUT I\u2019M SURE YOU\u2019LL UNDERSTAND,<br \/>\nI HARDLY KNOW YOUR NAME.\u201d<br \/>\nI SAID, &#8220;IF I CAN HAVE MY WAY,<br \/>\nMAYBE SOME SWEET DAY,<br \/>\nYOUR NAME AND MINE WILL BE THE SAME.\u201d<br \/>\nI WED MY LITTLE BRIGHT-EYED DOLL,<br \/>\nDOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [REPEAT 3 TIMES]<br \/>\nI WED MY LITTLE BRIGHT-EYED DOLL,<br \/>\nDOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE [REPEAT 2 TIMES]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1-4-5 Down by the Riverside by Akst and Davis Key of A &nbsp; Gonna lay down my sleepy head Down by the riverside (repeat 3 x) Gonna lay down my burden Down by the riverside With the chorus: I ain&#8217;t gonna study war no more Study war no more Ain&#8217;t &hellip; <span class=\"more-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/down-by-the-riverside\/\" class=\"more-link\">CLICK TO VIEW SONG<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Down by the Riverside<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,116,117,115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-3-chords","category-live-baritone","category-live-piano","category-live-tenor"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/262\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.robertandrews.net\/songs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}