The ToneWay® Project: helping people play music

Banks of the Ohio [core]

I asked my love to take a 5 walk
Just to walk a little 1 way
As we walk, may we 4 talk
All a 1 bout our 5 wedding 1 day

Chorus
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 drew my knife across her breast
As into my arms, she gently pressed
She cried, "Oh Willie, don't murder me
I'm not prepared for eternity."

I took her by her lily white hand
I led her down and I made her stand
There I pushed her in to drown
And watched her as she floated down

Returning home 'tween twelve and one
Thinking of the deed I done
I murdered the only girl I loved
Because she would not marry me

The very next mornin' about half past four
The sheriff's men knocked on my door
He said: "Young man, come now and go
Down to the banks of the Ohio."

It’s on Strum Machine!

Play & sing along with Banks of the Ohio (or any song you type in) in any key, at any speed, with real instrument recordings. You have to see it to believe it.

Play this song on Strum Machine

Available in these books:

Get Started Plus: Core Songs Edition
100 songs and our acclaimed play-by-ear learning method.
Big Print Songs
Over 200 songs.
Family Tradition
The reference manual, with lyrics to 330 songs.
The first two books feature large-print lyrics (20-point type) and include chords, historical info, jamming hints, and more.

...and on these CDs:

Five CDs, 100 songs. Recordings from the Abbott family and their friends.
Listen to sample tracks.

The MP3 collection has all 100 songs on one CD for a discount. See details.


A song from the The ToneWay Mountain Music Collection, which offers lyrics and free Song Clips (recordings for learning the song by ear) for nearly 400 traditional songs, many of which are often heard in bluegrass and old-time jam circles. The ToneWay Project also offers songbooks, CDs, and a free online video series for learning to play music by ear. http://ToneWay.com