Mother red river she wind like a copperhead Coils and boils over dennison dam Little white houses, eggs on the rocky bed I am the sun of the serpent, I am Raised on the river, washed in the blood Blood run thickerthan bottomland muc And the wheel sinks deeper as the years spin 'round Thirty bad summers in tillman county My uncle little tree dreams of another life Coddles his cattle and he rents his range Holds the fan to the face of his pretty wife She knows nothing ain't ever gonna change, she was Raised on the river Daylight's dragon fenceline keeps me working in this trance
Poundin down the bedrock with this rusty lance We don't stand a chance Chikasha trickster call to the funnel cloud Demon come screamin over Wichita falls Lines down, power out, ryan and points south Time and direction don't matter all when you're Raised on the river Maybe old moses come and turn this current back Cross me over ever holy and dry Climb me a crooked oak, scar-faced, bible-black Swing this shovel till it cracks the sky, I was Raised on the river