The back water done rolled lord, and tumbled, drove me down the line
The back water done rolled and tumbled, drove poor Charley down the line
Lord, i'll tell the world the water done struck Drew's town

Lord the whole round country, lord creek water is overflowed
Lord the whole round country, man, is overflowed
(spoken: you know, i can't stay here, i'm bound to go where it's high boy.)
I would go to the hill country, but they got me barred

Now looky now, in Leland, Lord, river is rising high
Looky here, boys around Leland tell me river is raging high
(spoken: boy, it's rising over there, yeah.)
I'm going over to Greenville, bought our tickets, good bye

Looky here, the water dug out, Lordy, levee broke, rolled most everywhere
The water at Greeville and Leland, Lord, it done rose everywhere
(spoken: boy, you can't never stay here.)
I would go down to Rosedale, but they tell me there's water there

Back water at Blytheville, backed up all around
Back water at Blytheville, done struck Joiner town
It was fifty families and children. Tough luck, they can drown

The water was rising up in my friend's door
The water was risins up in my friend's door
The man said his womenfolk, "Lord we'd better go"

Oh Lordy, women is groaning down
Oh Lordy, women and children sinking down
(spoken: Lord have mercy.)
I couldn't see nobody home, and was no one to be found