[MAN 2]
I left my home at fifteen
I wore this very same coat
My mama said, "Son, if you stay on the path
You'll find a river full of money where the rich fish float."

I said, "I’ll catch me them fish!"
And I searched low and searched high
And when I'd seen more water than Columbus had seen
I found me this lake that was greener than green-
I said, "Mama, I know this is what you mean"
But when I bent for a sip, the river ran dry

Now the river won't flow for me, no no no
The river won’t flow for me, no no no no
I live my life on the up and up
And this is where I was meant to be
But the river don't
The river won't flow for me

[MAN 1]
I never had me no house
I never had me no phone
I never had much that I didn't have to go
And fight for the right to call it my own
I don't expect any help
I don't expect nothin' free
It's not about bein’ any righteous man
It’s not about God and the master plan
It's not about doin’ the best I can-
No, this corner is where I was born to be

'Cause the river won't flow for me, no no no
The river won't flow for me, no no no no no no
It’s just one of those little lessons
That I learned at my Mama's knee:
The river don't
The river won't flow for me

[ALL, MAN 2, MAN 1, MAN 1 & MAN 2]
It's all luck-
It's just luck!
There's no way you can rig the game, 'cause
It's all luck-
It's just luck!
The sinner and the saint could wind up the same, 'cause
It's all luck
It's just luck
That decides between the noose and the knife
It's all luck
It's just luck
When you're beggin' to switch
With some rich son-of-a-bitch
Who ain't never done nothing to deserve that life!
It seems so easy to run
Until there's nowhere to go
You never get much for the dues you pay
You never go far on the easy way
There isn't much choice but to kneel and pray
For the river, the river, the river to

[MAN 1]
Flow, flow
Flow, flow
River!
The river's got to flow
The river's got to flow!
Flow, river!
River, river
River, river
Flow!

[MAN 2]
Flow! Flow!
Flow, Flow!

Flow!
Flow!
Flow!
Flow!
Flow
Flow
Flow!

[WOMAN 1]
Flow, flow
Flow, River!
Flow
The river's got to flow
The river's got to flow
Flow, river!
River, river
River, river
Flow!

[WOMAN 2]
Flow, Flow
Flow, Flow
River!
Flow
Flow

River!
Flow
River!
River, river
Flow!

[ALL]
But the river won't flow for you no no no

[WOMAN 1 & WOMAN 2, MAN 1 & MAN 2]
The river won't flow for you!
The river won't!
The river won't
No, the river won't
Flow for you
Flow for you
No, no!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
The river won't flow

[ALL]
You gotta live how you gotta live
You gotta do what you gotta do
'Cause the river don't
The river won't, the river can't
The river ain't never ever gonna flow for you!
Never gonna flow for you!
Never gonna flow for you!
Never gonna flow for you!