Banks of the Ohio
beginner
Banks of the Ohio
Bill Monroe
Doc Watson
Jerry Garcia
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Chord Chart
Verse/Chorus
DD
DD
AA
AA
AA
AA
DD
DD
DD
DD
GG
GG
DD
AA
DD
DD
Chords used:
A
D
G
Lyrics
I asked my love to take a walk
Just a walk a little way
And as we walk, oh, may we talk
All about our wedding day
Only say that you'll be mine
In our home we'll happy be
Down beside where the waters flow
On the banks of the Ohio
I held a knife against her breast
As into my arms she pressed
She said Willie, don't you murder me
I'm unprepared for eternity
I took her by her lily white hand
And dragged her down that bank of sand
There I throwed her in to drown
I watched her as she floated down
Was walking home tween twelve and one
Thinkin' of what I had done
I killed a girl, my love you see
Because she would not marry me
The very next morn about half past four
The Sheriff came knocked at my door
He said now young man come now and go
Down to the Banks of the Ohio
Demo Videos
About This Song
Banks of the Ohio is a traditional murder ballad popularized in bluegrass by artists like Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers. It's typically played in D and uses just three chords (D-G-A), making it a 1-4-5 song that's beginner-friendly and well-suited for newer players joining their first jam sessions.