Gon na lay down my sword and shield
down by the riv er side,
down by the riv er side,
down by the riv er side.
Gon na lay down my sword and shield
down by the riv er side and (F7)stud y
war no (Bb)more.
Gon na join hands with ev ’ry one
down by the riv er side,
down by the riv er side,
down by the riv er side.
Gon na join hands with ev ’ry one
down by the riv er side and (F7)stud y
war no (Bb)more.
Gon na I ain’t gon na (Eb)stud y war no more, I ain’t gon na (Bb)stud y war no more,
(F7)stud y
(Cm7)war (F7)no (Bb)more.
I ain’t gon na (Eb)stud y war no more, I ain’t gon na (Bb)stud y (F)war no more,
(F7)stud y
war no (Bb)more.
Down By The Riverside by African-American Spiritual
3 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of Bb at 144 BPM. Difficulty: easy. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
Learn how to accompany it· the chords and what each hand plays, on Super Simple Chords ↗About “Down By The Riverside”
- What key is "Down By The Riverside" in?
- "Down By The Riverside" by African-American Spiritual is in the key of Bb with a tempo of 144 BPM. Difficulty: easy.
- Is "Down By The Riverside" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this arrangement is rated easy, meaning it uses simple chord patterns and a manageable tempo. Most beginners can play through it in 1-3 practice sessions using our color-coded notes.
- Can I play "Down By The Riverside" without reading sheet music?
- Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
- How long does it take to learn "Down By The Riverside" on piano?
- 1–3 short practice sessions for the basics; 2–3 weeks to perform confidently with both hands.
- What other songs by African-American Spiritual can I play here?
- Try "All My Trials", "Deep River", "Go Tell It On The Mountain". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.