Proud Mary | Chords + Lyrics (Tina Turner)
Intro
| D | D |
Intro talk
||: D :|| x18
You know, every now and then I think you might like to hear something from us, nice and easy.
But there’s just one thing you see, we never, ever, do nothing, nice, and easy.
We always do it nice, and rough. So we’re gonna take the beginning of this song and do it, easy.
But then we’re gonna do the finish, rough, the way we do “Proud Mary”.
(And we) rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river. Listen to the story now.
Verse 1 (slow)
| D | D | D | D |
Left a good job (down) in the city, working for my man every night and day.
| D | D | D | D (F# G G#) |
And I never lost one minute of sleeping I was worryin’ ’bout the way the thing might have been.
| A | A | Bm | G |
Big wheel keep on turnin’, oh the Proud Mary keep on burnin’.
| D | D | D | D |
And we rollin’ (rollin’), rollin’ yeah (rollin’). Rollin’ on the river (rollin’ on the river).
Verse 2 (slow)
| D | D | D | D |
Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis. (And I) pumped a lot of tane down in New Orleans.
| D | D | D | D (F# G G#) |
But I never saw the good side of the city until I hitched a ride on the Riverboat Queen.
| A | A | Bm | G |
(You know that) big wheel keep on turning, oh the Proud Mary keep on burnin’.
| D | D | D | D |
And we’re rollin’ (rollin’), rollin’ yeah (rollin’). Rollin’ on the river (rollin’ on the river).
| D | D | D | D | (slow down)
Say we’re rollin’ (rollin’) rollin’ (rollin’). Rollin on the river (rollin’ on the river).
Instrumental (up-tempo)
||: D | D | D | D :||
Verse 3
| D (D6) | D D6 C G | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Oh, I left a good job in the city. Working for the man every night and day.
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) (F# G G#) |
And I never lost one minute of sleepin’, worryin’ ’bout the way the thing might have been.
| A | A | Bm | G |
Big wheel keep on turnin’ (turnin’), Proud Mary keep on burnin’ (burnin’).
| D (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Rollin’ (yeah), rollin’ (all right), rollin’ on the river (go ahead now).
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Rollin’, say we’re rollin’ (yeah), rollin’ on the river.
Tag 1
| D | D | D |
Move up! Du du du…
| C A | C A | C A G F | F D |
| D | D | D | D |
Oh, yeah. All right!
Verse 4
| D (D6) | D D6 C G | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis y’all. Pumped a lot of tane down in New Orleans.
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) (F# G G#) |
But I never saw the good side of the city ’til I hitched a ride on the Riverboat Queen.
| A | A | Bm | G |
Big wheel keep on turnin’ (turnin’), Proud Mary keep on burnin’ (burnin’).
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Rollin’ (roll roll), rollin’ (yeah), rollin’ on the river (go ahead, baby).
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river (hey).
Tag 2
| D | D | D |
Move up! Du du du…
| C A | C A | C A G F | F D |
| D | D | D | D |
Oh, yeah, yeah. All right, yeah, yeah…
Verse 5
| D (D6) | D D6 C G | D (D6) | D (D6) |
If you come down to the river. Yeah, I bet you gonna find some people who live.
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) (F# G G#) |
You don’t have to worry, if you got no money, the people on the river are happy to give.
| A | A | Bm | G |
Big wheel keep on turnin’ (turnin’), Proud Mary keep on burnin’ (burnin’).
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Rollin’ (ah-ha), said we’re rollin’ (yeah), rollin’ on the river (all right now).
| D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) |
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river.
Tag 3
| D | D | D |
Move up! Du du du…
| C A | C A | C A G F | F D |
| D | D | D | D |
(Rollin’) yeah, (rollin’). All right, all right, now, now.
Outro
||: D (D6) | (D6) | D (D6) | D (D6) :|| to fade
(Rollin’) yeah, (rollin’) a-ha, (rollin’ on the river) give me one more time.
(Rollin’) yeah, (rollin’) wo-wee, (rollin’ on the river) da da da da da.
(Rollin’) aow, (rollin’) yeah, (rollin’ on the river) one more time now.
(Rollin’) yeah, (rollin’) woo, (rollin’ on the river).
Proud Mary chords, progressions, and TAB
Even though Creedence Clearwater Revival wrote Proud Mary, and had a hit with it, it is the Tina Turner version you’d be expected to play at gigs.
With this in mind, members look at how to play the chords the way Tina Turner does Proud Mary.
This includes playing the good old hoky-tonk, which can be done in many, many ways. The best way to learn more about it is to study how different tunes put their spin on it.
If you compare the way Chuck Berry generally Honky Tonk, with how I play I Can’t Stand The Rain, as well as Ike Turner’s pattern on Nutbush City Limits, you’ll find small variations on the concept.
Proud Mary has yet another way, including quick C and G chords, incorporated within the D – D6 pattern.
Studying the honky tonk in this much depth will enable you to adjust it for different tunes, rather than play one tired way every time it comes around.
Here’s a link to the complete lesson (members only): Proud Mary chord analysis and TAB.
Become a member today and get unlimited access to all my guitar courses, the SEPR practice route, and the eBook Spytunes Method – You can learn guitar!
Proud Mary chords | Related pages
Intermediate Acoustic
Most intermediate acoustic tunes can’t be played using just basic open-position chords. We have to move up the fretboard and play CAGED barre chords as well.
We incorporate bass lines, add licks, extend chords, and play vocal melodies. Most importantly, we invent second guitar parts and play these songs together.
Intermediate Electric
The intermediate electric tunes will help you with learning the CAGED system all over the fretboard, both for chords and pentatonic scales.
Learn these Motown/Soul classics, and you’ll not just improve dramatically but also gain yourself a repertoire.
Five similar tunes
- (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher chords
- Don’t Stop Me Now chords
- Love Train chords
- Nutbush City Limits chords
- River Deep, Mountain High chords
Creedence Clearwater Revival
One of the best ways to create contrast in songs is to use opposite messages in the music and lyrics.
John Fogerty, the lead singer, and songwriter of Creedence Clearwater Revival is a master of this technique, perhaps the perfect example is Bad Moon Rising.
Creedence Clearwater Revival on the web
Tina Turner
Tina Turner was discovered by Ike, joined his band, and even married him. Together they achieved great success with many hits.
Off stage, Ike was an abusive husband. After they divorced, Tina would embark on a remarkable solo career and Ike would end up the most hated man in America.
Tina Turner on the web
Country & Folk
In the primarily acoustic genres of Country & Folk, you must acquire what matters the most: A repertoire. Nothing else will give you the gig.
Learn tunes by Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, America, Don McLean, and many more.
Motown & Soul
You can learn how to play these Motown & Soul tunes, and in doing so, gain yourself a repertoire so you can jam with, or even join a working band.
Study these tunes in-depth and you will map out the fretboard, master the CAGED system, and learn how to design a rhythm guitar part that works in a band.
