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 JubileeEating lotus with my brother
We spun a tale
That left him at the bottom of the river
And me in a local jailBuild a boat out of wood and memories
Watch it slip through the night
We sailed our sad little vesselGoing 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 fireIf 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 shoulderMorgan 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 loveBuild a dream out of time and circumstance
Dreamt it'd be about every night
God sailed my sad little soulGoing down to Saint Mary's County
That's where I met your mother, dear
Lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lady loveI 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 JubileeLay-lay-lay-lay-lay-lay-Lady love
With your eyes on fire
Lady love
With your eyes on fire