Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
I've shown the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears I've cried over that woman
Well they're gonna flood you big river
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die

Well I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
And it tore me up every time I heard her draw that southern draw
Then I heard my dream was back downstream in Davenport
Now I followed you big river when you called

Then you took me to St. Louis later on down the river
Freighter said you'd been here but she's gone said boy she's gone
Well I found her trail in Memphis but she just walked up the block
She raised a few eyebrows then she moved on down the ?
Yes she did

Now I went back down to Baton Rouge my little queen rollin' on
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans
Go on I've had enough dumped my blues down in the gulf
She loves you big river more than me

When I pulled into Nachez yesterday down the river
You know there's not much there to make you stay very long
When I left it was raining so nobody saw me crying
Big river why's she treating me this way

Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
I've shown the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears I've cried over that woman
Well they're gonna flood you big river
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die

Yeah I'm gonna sit right here until I die