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
[Willie Nelson:]
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.
[Kris Kristofferson:]
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.
[Waylon Jennings:]
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?
[Johnny Cash, lead and all the others, harmony:]
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
[Nelson, 1st line; Kristofferson, 2nd line; Jennings, 3rd line; Cash 4th line:]
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
