Standards

Down By The Riverside chords & key

Key: F major
Form: AB
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Down By The Riverside” is a jazz standard. It is usually played in F major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AB form has 2 sections. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

C⁷

B♭

C⁷

F⁷

B♭

C⁷

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

0Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

0ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

4Different chords

Most used chords

F×19
C⁷×8
B♭×4
F⁷×1

Recorded on these albums

1953	Jazz Funeral in New Orleans George Lewis · “Down by the Riverside”
1958	Louis and the Good Book Louis Armstrong · “Down by the Riverside”
1958	Swingin’ Dixie, Volume 3 Al Hirt · “Down by the Riverside”
1959	Feelin' the Spirit Jimmy Witherspoon · “Down by the Riverside”
1959	I Hear the Word Kay Starr · “Down by the Riverside”
1962	Swing Low, Sweet Clarinet Pete Fountain With The Jubilee Singers · “Down by the Riverside”
1962	Bunk Johnson and His Superior Jazz Band Bunk Johnson · “Down by the Riverside”
1965	Live at Carnegie Hall Al Hirt · “Down by the Riverside”
1966	Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery · “Down by the Riverside”
1966	Our Mann Flute Herbie Mann · “Down by the Riverside”
1966	Goin' Latin Ramsey Lewis · “Down by the Riverside”
1968	Trumpet à gogo Vol. 2 James Last · “Down by the Riverside”
1968	Stompin' Shirley Scott / Don Patterson / "Lockjaw" Davis · “Down by the Riverside”
1973	Chris Barber & Lonnie Donegan Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan · “Down by the Riverside”
1976	Piano Solo Eugen Cicero
1990	Spirituals David Murray · “No Body Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen ~ Down by the Riverside”
1991	Live in 1960 Sister Rosetta Tharpe · “Down by the Riverside”
1991	Negro Spirituals Rhoda Scott · “Down by the Riverside (Study War No More)”
2002	The Sermon Hampton Hawes · “Down by the Riverside”
2012	Come Sunday Charlie Haden & Hank Jones · “Down by the Riverside”
2018	This Train in Concert Sister Rosetta Tharpe · “Down By the Riverside”
2019	Shout Sister Shout Sister Rosetta Tharpe · “Down By the Riverside”
2024	Live in France: The 1966 Concert in Limoges Sister Rosetta Tharpe · “Down by the Riverside”
—	The Sensational Rosetta Tharpe from Carnegie Hall to Antibes Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Historic 78 rpm recordings

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE CHRIS BARBER's JAZZBAND · Pat Halcox · Chris Barber · Monty Sunshine… archive.org ↗
Down By The Riverside Conrad Janis and his Tailgate Jazz Band · Richard Smith · Tom… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
When The Saints Go Marching In 31%	Traditional	F major	A · 16	Medium swing
52nd Street Theme 27%	Thelonious Monk	C major	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
A Tisket A Tasket 25%	Traditional	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Blueberry Hill 23%	Lewis-Stock-Rose	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Creole Love Call 23%	Duke Ellington	B♭ major	AABB · 46	Medium swing
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 21%	Harold Arlen	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Across The Alley From The Alamo 21%	Joe Greene	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Alexander's Ragtime Band 21%	Irving Berlin	F major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Down By The Riverside in?

Down By The Riverside is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.

What is the form of Down By The Riverside?

Down By The Riverside has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Down By The Riverside played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Down By The Riverside?

The opening bars are F | F | F | F. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.