High Water (For Charlie Patton)

High water risin'—risin' 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
Nothin' standing there
High water everywhere

High water rising, the shacks are sliding down
Folks lose their possessions—folks are leaving town
Bertha Mason shook it—broke it
Then she hung it on a wall
Says, "You're dancing with whom they tell you to
Or you don't dance at all"
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, throw your panties on the board
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
Coffins dropping in the street
Like balloons made out of lead
Water pouring into Vicksburg, don't know what I'm going to do
Don't reach out for me, she said
Can't you see I'm drowning too?
It's rough out there
High water everywhere

Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the Italian and the Jew
"ou can't open your mind, boys
To every conceivable point of view
They got Charles Darwin trapped out there on Highway Five
Judge says to the High Sheriff,
I want him dead or alive
Either one, I don't care
High water everywhere

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 to eat, she said,
Take it off the shelf
As great as you are a man
You'll never be greater than yourself
I told her I didn't really care
High water everywhere

I'm getting up in the morning
I believe I'll dust my broom
Keeping away from the women
I'm giving them lots of room
Thunder rolling over Clarkesdale,
Everything is looking blue
I just can't be happy, love
Unless you're happy too
It's bad out there
High water everywhere