Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears that 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
I heard my dream was back downstream cavortin' in Davenport
And I followed you, big river, when you called.
♪
Then you took me to St. Loui later on down the river
A freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone
I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the bluff
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.
Then I pulled into Nashes, next day down the river
It wasn't much to make you then wanna stay very long
When I left it was raining so nobody saw me cry
Big river, why she doing me this way?
♪
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
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears that I cried for that woman
Are gonna flood you Big River
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.