If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to break..
If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to break..
When the levee breaks I’ll have no place to stay.
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan,
Lord, mean old levee taught me to weep and moan,
Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home,
Oh well, oh well, oh well.
Don’t it make you feel bad
When you’re tryin’ to find your way home,
You don’t know which way to go?
If you’re goin’ down south
They got no work to do,
If you don’t know about Chicago.
Cryin’ won’t help you, prayin’ won’t do you no good,
Now, cryin’ won’t help you, prayin’ won’t do you no good,
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move.
All last night sat on the levee and moaned,
All last night sat on the levee and moaned,
Thinkin’ ’bout my baby and my happy home.
Going, goin’ to Chicago,
Goin’ to Chicago,
Sorry but I can’t take you.
Going down, going down now, going down..

Mary, grab the baby, the river’s rising
Muddy water taking back the land
The old-frame house, she can’t take-a one more beating
Ain’t no use to stay and make a stand
Well the morning light shows water in the valley
Daddy’s grave just went below the line
Things to say, you just can’t take em with ya
This flood will swallow all you’ve left behind
Won’t be back to start all over
Cause what I felt before is gone
Mary, take the child, the river’s rising
Muddy water taking back my home
The road is gone, there’s just one way to leave here
Turn my back on what I’ve left below
Shifting land, broken farms around me
Muddy water’s changing all I know
It’s hard to say just what I’m losing
Ain’t never felt so all alone
Mary, take the child, the river’s rising
Muddy water taking back my home
Won’t be back to start all over
Cause what I felt before is gone
Mary, take the child, the river’s rising
Muddy water’s changing all I know
Muddy water’s changing all I know
Lord, this muddy water is taking back my home…