Down at the bottom of that dirty ol' river

down where the reeds and the catfish play

there lies a dream as soft as the water

there lies a bluebird that's flown away





Well, to meet is like springtime

and to love's like the summer

her brown eyes shone for nobody but me

then autumn forever, the fool come a fallin'

and the rain turned to freezin' inside of me.





I'll kindle my fires with the words

I can't send you

and the roads I can't follow

and the songs I can't sing





Well, all you young ladies

who dream of tomorrow

while you're a listenin'

these words will I say

Cling to today with its joy

and its sorrow

you'll need all your memories

when youth melts away.





Well, the angel of springtime

he rides down the southwind

the angel of summer

he does just the same

the angel of autumn

she's blue and she's golden

and the angel of winter

won't remember your name





Down at the bottom of that dirty ol' river

down where the reeds and the catfish play

there lies a dream as soft as the water

there lies a bluebird that's flown away





There lies a bluebird

that's flown away