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(G)Look out, Ma ma, there’s a (C)white boat com in’ up the (G)riv er,
with a (C)big red bea con and a flag and a man on the rail.
I think you (C)bet ter call John ’cause it don’t look like they’re here to de (Bm)liv er
the mail.
And it’s (Bm7)less than a mile a way.
I (Bm7)hope they did n’t come to stay.
It’s got (Bm7)num bers on the side and a (Cmaj7)gun, and it’s mak in’ big (D)waves.
(G)Dad dy’s gone and my broth (C)er’s out hunt in’ in the (G)moun tains.
with Big (C)John’s been drink in’ since the riv er a took Em my Lou.
I So the (C)pow ers that be left me here look to they’re do the de (Bm)think in’.
the mail.
And I (Bm7)just than turned mile ty two.
I (Bm7)was won der in’ what to do.
And the (Bm7)clos er they the got, and the (Cmaj7)more those it’s feel in’ in’s (D)grew.
This page shows “Powderfinger” by Neil Young in our color-coded kid songbook view — every note is colored by pitch (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, blue G, purple A, pink B) and the lyrics sit directly under each note, so children can sing along while they play. The song is in the key of G at 120 BPM, a medium-difficulty arrangement — try slowing the tempo down using the BPM control.
This arrangement is a great way to build confidence moving between major and minor shapes in the key of G, and the octave bass pattern in your left hand will really strengthen your reach and timing at a steady 120 BPM. Pay close attention to the Bm-to-Bm7 shift — it's subtle, just lifting one finger — but rushing it is the most common stumble I see, so isolate that transition slowly before speeding up. Your right hand needs to stay relaxed through the C-to-Cmaj7 voice leading too; let that major seventh note ring naturally rather than punching it. I'd suggest practicing hands separately for the first few run-throughs, locking in that left-hand octave pulse until it feels automatic, then layering the chords on top. Once both hands are together, loop the verse section at around 90 BPM before pushing to full tempo. The dramatic feel comes from steady, confident rhythm — not volume — so keep your dynamics controlled and let the chord colors do the emotional work. This is the kind of song that truly cements smooth minor-to-major transitions you'll use constantly.