[Verse 1]
As he stared past the fire
His hunger to leave, well it gnawed his poor heart alive
Her skin smelled like black cherry blossom perfume
And the sailboats they all sailed by and a river she cried

[Verse 2]
And the wind was suddenly sweeter than Roosevelt pie
The windows broke out and the cigarette smoke was driftin' by
The bums on the Bowery, they were swallowed in the lights
As cars rumbled by in the night screamin' "run for your life"

[Chorus]
With cool and silvery eyes
And a heart that was fit for desire
Drown in a river of tears, oh a river she cried
Left her with a heart made of ashes and fire

[Harmonica break]

[Verse 3]
One day there was a silence and it washed through the town
There was no reason to speak so no one made a sound
Her eyes were indigo and the cats was all calico
And the sailboats they all sailed by and a river she cried
[Chorus]
With cool and silvery eyes
And a heart, it was fit for desire
Drown in a river of tears, oh a river she cried
Left her with a heart made of ashes and fire

[Outro]
Ashes and fire
Ashes and fire
Ashes and fire