“The rains have come early”, they say “We're all gonna wash away”

Well, that's all right with me

If heaven's torrent can wash clean the arrogance that lies unseen

In the damage done since we have gone where we ought not to be

Goodbye to a river, goodbye to a river; so long



Lakes and levees, dams and locks, they put that river in a box

It was running wild and men must have control

We live our lives in starts and fits; we lose our wonder bit by bit

We condescend and in the end we lose our very souls

Goodbye to a river, goodbye to a river, so long



The dirty water washes down poisoning the common ground

Taking sins of farm and town and bearing them away

The captains of industry and their tools on the hill

They're killing everything divine

What will I tell this child of mine?



I make a church out of words as the years dull my senses

And I try to hold on to the world that I knew

I struggle to cross generational fences

And the beauty that still remains; I can touch it through you



Goodbye to a river, goodbye to a river, so long

Goodbye to a river, goodbye to a river, so long

Goodbye to a river, goodbye to a river, roll on