Down To The River To Pray

by Alison Krauss
Loading sheet music
Building your awesome sheet music
1
Play in Kid Mode

Other arrangements of Down To The River To Pray

Pick a learning view.

Lyrics

As I went (F)down in the riv er to pray,

(C)stud y in’ a bout (Dm)that (F)good old way and who (Dm)shall (F)wear the star ry crown.

Good (C)Lord,

(Bb)show me the (F)way.

(C)Oh,

sis ters, (F)let’s go down,

let’s go (Bb)down, don’t come on go (F)down.

(C)Oh,

sis ters, (F)let’s go down,

down in the (Bb)riv er (C7)to (F)pray.

As I went (F)down in the riv er to pray,

(C)stud y in’ a bout (Dm)that (F)good old way and who (Dm)shall (F)wear the robe and crown.

Good (C)Lord,

(Bb)show me the (F)way.

(C)Oh,

broth ers, (F)let’s go down,

come on (Bb)down, don’t wan na go (F)down?

(C)Oh,

broth ers, (F)let’s go down,

down in the (Bb)riv er (C7)to (F)pray.

As I went (F)pray.

(G)As I (C)went (G)down in the riv er to pray,

(D)stud y in’ a bout that (G)good old way and who (Em)shall (G)wear the star (Em)ry (G)crown.

Good (D)Lord,

(C)show me the (G)way.

(D)Oh,

fa thers (G)let’s go down,

(G)let’s (Am)go (C)down,

come on (G)down.

(D)Oh,

fa thers, (G)let’s go down,

down in the (C)riv er to (Em)pray,

(G)down

(D#dim)in (Em)the (Am7)riv er (C)to

(G)pray.

Down To The River To Pray — Classic Piano Sheet Music

5 people have learned this song

Read "Down To The River To Pray" by Alison Krauss in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Bb. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 90 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “Down To The River To Pray

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Down To The River To Pray"?
Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature Bb. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Down To The River To Pray" by Alison Krauss played in?
Down To The River To Pray is arranged in the key of Bb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Down To The River To Pray"?
The arrangement plays at 90 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Down To The River To Pray" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
Can I download sheet music for "Down To The River To Pray"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Down To The River To Pray"?
"Down To The River To Pray" was originally performed by Alison Krauss. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Alison Krauss can I play here?
Try "THERE IS LIFE", "THERE IS A REASON", "When You Say Nothing At All". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "Down To The River To Pray" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature Bb, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
Yes — slow the tempo from 90 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
Why can I click a note in the score?
Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.

More songs you might like