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Red River Valley (WORD)
Red River Valley (PDF)
"Red River Valley" describes the plight of a Métis woman lamenting the departure of her lover, an east-coast soldier, who came west as a member of the 1870 Wolseley expedition sent to put down the first Riel-led Red River Rebellion in Manitoba. There are many different versions and many different stories about the songs origins. Here's one version with words and chords (transposed), that Edith Fowke, noted folklorist, said was known in over 5 provinces long before 1896.