High water risin', risin' night and day
All the gold and silver are being stolen away
Big Joe Turner lookin' East and West
From the dark room of his mind
He made it to Kansas City
Twelfth Street and Vine
Nothing standing there
High water everywhere

High water risin', the shacks are slidin' down
Folks lose their possessions and folks are leaving town
Bertha Mason shook, it broke it
Then she hung it on a wall
Says, "You're dancin' with whom they tell you to
Or you don't dance at all"
It's tough out there
High water everywhere

I got a cravin' love for blazing speed got a hopped up Mustang Ford
Jump into the wagon, love, throw your panties overboard
I can write you poems, make a strong man lose his mind
I'm no pig without a wig
I hope you treat me kind
Things are breakin' up out there
High water everywhere

High water risin', six inches 'bove my head
Coffins droppin' in the street
Like balloons made out of lead
Water pourin' into Vicksburg, don't know what I'm going to do
"Don't reach out for me," she said
"Can't you see I'm drownin' too?"
It's rough out there
High water everywhere

Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the Italian and the Jew
"You can't open your mind, boys
To every conceivable point of view"
They got Charles Darwin trapped out there on Highway Five
Judge says to the High Sheriff
"I want him dead or alive
Either one, I don't care"
High Water everywhere

Well, the cuckoo is a pretty bird, she warbles as she flies
I'm preachin' the word of God
I'm puttin' out your eyes
I asked Fat Nancy for something to eat, she said, "Take it off the shelf
As great as you are a man,
You'll never be greater than yourself"
I told her I didn't really care
High water everywhere

I'm getting' up in the morning I believe I'll dust my broom
Keeping away from the women
I'm givin' 'em lots of room
Thunder rolling over Clarksdale, everything is looking blue
I just can't be happy, love
Unless you're happy too
It's bad out there
High water everywhere


Lyrics submitted by nitsirhc

High Water (For Charley Patton) Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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High Water (For Charley Patton) song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is NOT a Charley Patton cover. Not only did he never record this song, many references in it (e.g. Big Joe Turner and the Ford Mustang) did not come about until long after he had died. It does however bear some similarity to Patton's song 'High Water Everywhere'

    This song contains many references to old blues songs, such as the title and the line "high water everywhere" referring to the above mentioned Patton song, the lines "Bertha Mason shook it - broke it/Then she hung it on a wall" refering to Pattons 'Shake it and Break it' and the line "I believe I'll dust my broom" refering to a Robert Johnson song of the same name to name only three.

    And to FackingHell, you shouldn't call someone a "fucking retard". You asked "could you be more wrong?". I don't know if he could, but you sure seem to manage it.

    LewisLoveon December 16, 2008   Link

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