A painted lady sings a lullaby
A raindrop falls from an empty sky
A steamboat's lying on a river bed
The captain smiles and his eyes are red
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
A lady's riding bareback on a horse
I know that Babylon must be her course
An old man's laughing at the dead of night
But I don't care if he is black or white
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
The summer heat burns the skin on my face
And the trees shimmer so in this quiet place
A bird up high sings a song that I know
And those sweet melodies fall down like snow
A crowd of people watch an empty stage
There's no performers but still they stay
Moonlight dances on a slide trombone
The captain whistles as he wanders home
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water
Mississippi water
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
Mississippi water washing over me
...