Highwater (For Charlie Patton)

High water rising, rising night and day
All the gold and silver are being stolen away
Big Joe Turner looking east and west from the dark room of his mind
He made it to Kansas City, Twelfth Street and Vine
Nothing standing there
High water everywhere
High water rising, the shacks are sliding down
Folks lose their possessions and folks are leaving town
Reformation shook it, broke it, and she hung it on the wall
Say, &quotYou dance with whom they tell you to or you don’t dance at all&quot
It’s tough out there
High water everywhere
I got a craving love for blazing speed, got a hopped up Mustang Ford
Jump into the wagon, love, though your friend is overboard
I can write you poems, make a strong man lose his mind
I’m no pig without a wig I hope you treat me kind
Things are breaking up out there
High water everywhere
High water rising, six inches above my head
Coffin’s dropping in the street, but balloons made out of lead
Well, I’m pulling into Vicksburg, don’t know what I’m gonna do
&quotDon’t reach out for me,&quot she said, &quotCan’t you see I’m drowning too&quot
It’s rough out there
High water everywhere
Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the Italian and the Jew,
&quotYou can’t open up your mind, boys, to any conceivable point of view,
They got Charles Darwin trapped out there on Highway 5&quot
Judge says to the High Sheriff, &quotI want him dead or alive,
Either one, I don’t care&quot
High water everywhere
Well, the cuckoo is a pretty bird, she warbles as she flies
I’m preaching the word of God, I’m putting out your eyes
I asked fat Nancy for something t’ eat, she said, &quotTake it off the shelf
As great as you are, man, you’ll never be greater than yourself.&quot
I told her I didn’t really care
High water everywhere
I get up in the morning, I believe I’ll dust my broom
Keeping away from the women, I’m giving them lots of room
Thunder rollin’ over Clarksdale everything has left me blue
I just can’t be happy, love, unless you’re happy too
It’s bad out there
High water everywhere