Guitar Sessions 57: Play Bob Weir’s “Only a River”
Here’s a video lesson teaching Bob Weir’s song “Only a River,” a gem from his final studio album, Blue Mountain.
I’ve been performing this song at recent shows and have gotten so many comments and questions about it. “Only a River” is a great one for song circles or jam sessions too—very simple and easy to follow for anyone unfamiliar.
For a performance by the man himself, check out Weir's Tiny Desk Concert, where he and Wolf Bros. opened with this song.
The primary songwriter for “Only a River” is actually Josh Ritter, with co-write credits for Weir and Josh Kaufman, the album’s producer. The song also uses part of the traditional song “Shenandoah” as its prechorus.
“Only a River” is in dropped D tuning. The video runs through all the essentials, including the instrumental break I added, and you can find the complete tab on Patreon.
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