Intro: A D
verse 1
D
Well God Bless my daddy I learned so much from him
D7 A
You know he taught me at an early age how to sink or swim
A7 D D7 G
He said boy that ole river of life can wash away your dreams
D A D
So you gotta' keep right on kicking son swimmin' up stream
verse 2
D
Well before I knew it I was out there on the street
D7 A
That ole gal called Lady Luck she wasn't kind to me
A7 D D7 G
As a matter of fact you could say she was downright mean
D A D
She kept me in way over my head swimmin' up stream
D
Swimmin' up stream swimmin' up stream
D7 A
Fightin' every inch of the way for a poor boy's dream
A7 D G
Things'll get rough times'll get lean
G7 D A D
But the only choice you got is to keep swimmin' up stream
Riff: D D7 A A7 D D7 G D A D
verse 3
D
Well the time I thought my ship was comin' in
A
That ole tide would turn an take it back out again
D D7 G
Well if I just lay back an float I'll be a troubled me
D A A7 D
So I gotta' keep workin' at kicking an swimmin' up stream
D
Swimmin' up stream swimmin' up stream
D7 A
Fightin' every inch of the way for a poor boy's dream
A7 D D7 G
Things'll get rough times'll get lean
G7 D A D Bb
But the only choice you got's to keep swimmin' up stream
Outro
D#
Swimmin' up stream swimmin' up stream
D#7 Bb
Fightin' every inch of the way for a poor boy's dream
Bb7 D# D#7 G#
Things'll get rough times'll get lean
G#7 D# Bb D#
But the only choice you got's to keep swimmin' up stream
Bb
Yes you gotta' gotta' gotta' gotta' gotta'
D#
Keep swimmin' up stream