Well look what's going down the river now
Big steam whistle gonna blow, man, blow
Look what's going down the river now
Let the wheels stop turning, let the anchors go

Show boat, pretty boat, stop a while
Make a little music for the baby to smile
Show boat, pretty boat, you and me
Gonna sail on down to the shiny sea

They go down the fields to the sandy shore
Lay down the plough, leave the milk in the cow
Down from the fields to the sandy shore
Just to look at what's going down the river now

Master's in the cabin with his head hung low
The tide's been a-turning but the boat won't go
Hit rock bottom, left high and dry
Down in the delta where the river runs high

There's a church on my hill, got a brand new choir
Got a big bell tower and it's burnin' hot fire
The graveyard's empty and the book's been closed
Don't pass the plate, just put down the rose

The baby's in the cradle rockin' to and fro
Gonna get out the valley so the shadow don't grow
And if that brand new choir don't sing
I'm gonna get that baby a bell to ring