Cry Me A River | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| Emadd9 Emmaj7 | Amadd9 Ammaj7 | C7 | B7b5 |
Verse 1
| Em Emb6 | Em6 Em7 |
Now you say you’re lonely,
| Am7 D9 C7b5 | Gmaj7 G6 F#m7 B7 |
you cry the whole night through.
| Bm7 E7b9 Eaug | C#m7b5 A13 A7 |
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river,
| Am7 D9 | G F#m7b5 B7 |
I cried a river over you.
Verse 2
Now you say you’re sorry,
for being so untrue.
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river,
| Am7 D9 | Am7/G G69 F#7alt |
I cried a river over you.
Bridge
| Bm6 B69 Bm6 | C#m7b5 F#7#9 F#7b9 |
You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head.
| Bm6 | C#m7b6 C#m7b5 F#7#9 F#7b9 |
While you never shed a tear.
| Bm Bm6 | C#m7b5 F#7#9 F#7b9 |
Remember, I remember all that you said.
| Bm69 Fm7 | F#m7 B7 B7alt |
Told me love was too plebeian. Told me you were through with me, and.
Verse 3
Now you say you love me,
well, just to prove you do.
Come on and cry me a river, cry me a river,
| Am7 D9 | Am7/G G69 |
I cried a river over you.
Outro
| Emadd9 Emmaj7 | Amadd9 Ammaj7 | Am7 D9 | Am7 G69 |
I cried a river over you.
| Am7 D7 | Am7 G69 |
I cried a river over you.
| Am7 D7 | Am7 G69 |
I cried a river over you.
| Am7 D9 D7 | Am7 G69 |
I cried a river over you.
Cry Me a River Chords: Play It Like Barney Kessel
Sung by Julie London and played by Barney Kessel, Cry Me a River presents a serious challenge when it comes to deciphering its chords!
In fact, the harmonic complexity is so intense that I’d recommend focusing on the TAB rather than overanalyzing the theory—otherwise, it could quickly turn into a brain exercise.
Members get full TAB arrangements tailored for one guitar with a singer, with subtle modifications to compensate for the lack of a bass player.
Here’s a preview TAB of Verse 1 to give you a glimpse of what you’re up against!
There’s an incredible amount packed into just these eight bars—I could write an essay on it, but the best approach is to dive in and start playing. However, here are a couple of highlights:
- The ascending Em – Emb6 – Em6 – Em7 progression feels like a reversed Ain’t No Mountain High Enough—a brilliant movement that breaks diatonic rules by including both the b6 and 6.
- The C#m7b5 could also be seen as an A9—a chord that reappears in Verse 2, replacing the A7 used in Verse 1.
Rather than overthinking it, just play the TAB—it will make far more sense that way!
Here’s the full lesson: Cry Me a River – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Cry Me A River Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Cry Me A River chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Cry Me A River chord chart iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Barney Kessel played on Cry Me A River!
Nicknamed “Fruitcake” by his friends for practising up to 16 hours a day, Barney Kessel is regarded as one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time.
While he’s best known for his iconic work on Cry Me a River, Barney was also a member of the legendary session band The Wrecking Crew, playing on recordings for The Monkees and The Beach Boys.
His dedication to the instrument was relentless—spending his days in the studio and his nights in jazz clubs, only putting the guitar down when sleeping.
Eventually, his reputation allowed him to focus solely on jazz, even earning a signature model from Gibson. However, between 1961 and 1974, jazz was no longer at its peak, and the guitar didn’t sell well. Today, its rarity has made it highly valuable among collectors.
One of my favourite Barney Kessel moments comes from a Sonny & Cher recording session. Frustrated by the simplicity of The Beat Goes On, he stood up and famously quipped: “Never have so many played so little for so much.”
Cry Me A River Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Cry Me A River (Julie London) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: