"Flood Water Blues (1937)" Lyrics

It's been snowin' forty days and nights, lakes and rivers begin to freeze.
It's been snowin' forty days and nights, rivers and lakes begin to freeze.
Some places through my old hometown, water 's up above my knees.

Storm begin risin', and the sun begin sinking down.
Storm begin risin', the sun begin sinking down.
I says, "Mother and Dad, pack your trunk. We ain't safe here in this town.

When it lightnin' my mind gets frightened, my nerves begin weakenin' down.
When it lightnin' my mind gets frightened, my nerves begin weakenin' down.
And the shack where we was livin' begin movin' 'round.

Women and children were screamin', sayin', "Mama why must we go?"
Women and children were screamin', sayin', "Lord, where must we go?"
"The floodwater have broke the levees and we ain't safe here no more."

And begin cloud as dark as midnight, keep raining all the time.
I say, "Oh, I wonder why the sun don't ever shine?"
And the way it keeps rainin' its drivin' me out my mind.