Come
from down in the valley,
where mister when you're young
They bring you up to do
like your daddy done
Me and Mary were men in high school
when she was just seventeen
We'd drive out of the valley down
to where the fields were green
We went down to the river,
and into the river we died
Down to the river we'd ride
Then I got married pregnant,
and man that was all she wrote
For my 19th birthday,
I got a union card and wedding coats
We went down to the courthouse
and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles,
no walk down the aisles,
no flowers, no wedding dress
That night we went down to the river
And into the river we dive,
oh, down to the river we drive,
hi, hi, hi.
Got a job working construction
for the Johnstone Company.
Lately, there ain't been much work
on account of the economy.
Now all them things seemed so important
But mister, they vanished right into the air
Now I act like I just don't remember
Mary acts like she don't care
But I remember us fighting
in my brother's car
Her body tanned and wet
down at the reservoir
At night on the backside, I lie awake
Hold her close and feel
each breath she takes
But now those memories
come back to haunt me
Oh, they haunt me like a curse
Is the dream alive?
If it don't come true
Is it something worse?
Sends me down to the river
Though I know the river is dry
Sends me down to the
river tonight
Down to the river,
my baby and I
Oh, down to the river we'd ride
Thank you very much.