Big River

I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry

And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky

And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river

And I'm gonna sit right here until I die

I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota

And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl

Then I heard my dream went back downstream, cavortin' in Davenport

And I followed you, big river, when she called

Oh, she took me to St. Louis later on, down the river

A freighter said, "She's been here, but she's gone, boy, she's gone"

And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block

Raised a few eyebrows and went on down alone

Well, I pulled into Natchez, next day down the river

But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long

When I left, it was rainin', so nobody saw me cry

Big river, why she doin' me this way?

Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on

Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans

Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf

She loves you, big river, more than me

I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry

And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky

And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river

And I'm gonna sit right here until I die