Highwater risin', 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
Nothin' standing there
Highwater everywhere

Highwater rising the shacks are sliding down
Folks lose their possessions, the folks are
leaving town
Reformation shook it, broke it, then she hung it
on the wall
Say you dance with whom they tell you to or you
don't dance at all
It's tough out there
Highwater everywhere

I got a cravin' love for blazin' speed
I got a hopped up Mustang Ford
Jump into the wagon, love
Throw your panties 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 breakin' up out there
Highwater everywhere

Highwater rising, six inches above my head
Coffin's dropping in the street like balloons
made out of clay
Water poured into Vicksburg, don't know what I'm
gonna do
Don't reach out for me, she said, can't you see
I'm drowning too
It's rough out there
Highwater everywhere

Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the
Italian and the Jew
You can't open up your mind, boys, to every
conceivable point of view
They got Charles Darwin trapped out there on
Highway 5
Judge says to the high sheriff, I want him dead
or alive
Either one, I don't care
Highwater everywhere

Well, the cuckoo is a pretty bird, she warbles as
she flies
I'm preachin' the word of God, I'm puttin' out
your eyes
I asked Fat Nancy for someth'n' to eat, she said
take it off the shelf
As great as you are man, you'll never be greater
than yourself
I told her I didn't really care
Highwater everywhere

I get up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my
broom
Keepin' away from the women, I'm givin' them lots
of room
Thunder rollin' over Clarksdale, everythin' a
lookin' blue
I just can't be happy, love, unless you're happy
too
It's bad out there
Highwater everywhere