The River; 1873 Lyrics

I used to be a riverboat captain
Before the mutiny, woah Lord
I used to be a down-home funk prescriber
On the banks of the river Jubilee
Eating lotus with my brother
We spun a tale
That left him at the bottom of the river
And me in a local jail

Build a boat out of wood and memories
Watch it slip through the night
We sailed our sad little vessel

Going down to Saint Mary's County
That's where I met your mother, dear
Lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lady love
With your eyes on fire
Lady love
With your eyes on fire
If he won't dance with you
I'm sure you can find my shoulder
If he won't dance with you
I'm sure you can find my shoulder

Morgan Creek had a lesson for me
It seemed to drift down from above
It said steer clear of that whiskey bottle
Or you'll lose the ones you love

Build a dream out of time and circumstance
Dreamt it'd be about every night
God sailed my sad little soul
Going down to Saint Mary's County
That's where I met your mother, dear
Lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lady love

I see my brother and band of the angels darling
On the other side of that river bed
Gonna drag me back to Jubilee my son
Gonna drag me back to Jubilee

Lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-Lady love
With your eyes on fire
Lady love
With your eyes on fire