Cover art for Take Me to the River by Al Green

Take Me to the River

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Oct. 2, 19741 viewer42K views

Take Me to the River Lyrics

[Intro]
I'd like to dedicate this song to little Junior Parker
A cousin of mine who's gone on, but we'd like to kinda carry on in his name
I sing

[Verse 1]
I don't know why I love you like I do
After all these changes that you put me through
You stole my money and my cigarettes
And I haven't seen hide nor hair of you yet

[Pre-Chorus]
I wanna know, won't you tell me
Am I in love to stay?

[Chorus]
Take me to the river and wash me down
Won't you cleanse my soul? Put my feet on the ground

[Verse 2]
I don't know why she treated me so bad
Look at all the things that we could have had
Love is a notion that I can't forget
My sweet sixteen I will never regret

[Pre-Chorus]
I wanna know, won't you tell me
Am I in love to stay?
[Instrumental Break]

[Pre-Chorus]
Hold me, love me, please me, tease me
Till I can't, till I can't, can't take no more

[Chorus]
Take me to the river

[Verse 3]
I don't know why I love you like I do
After all the things that you put me through
The sixteen candles are burning on my wall
Turning me into the biggest fool of them all

[Pre-Chorus]
I wanna know, can't you tell me
Am I in love to stay?

[Chorus]
I wanna know
Take me to the river
I wanna know
Want you to dip me in the water
I wanna know
Won't you wash me in the water?
Wash me in the water
Wash me in the water
Won't you wash me in the water?
Feeling good

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Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Al Green say about "Take Me to the River"?
Genius Answer

Per Al Green:

I was trying to get more stability in my life. I wrote, ‘Take me to the river/Wash me down/Cleanse my soul.’

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