Lyrics:

[Nelson:]
I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.
[Kristofferson:]
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue
sky.
[Jennings:]
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna
flood you, big river.
[Cash:]
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.

[Nelson:]
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota.
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl,
southern drawl.
And I heard my dream, Went back downstream, cavortin'
in Davenport,
And I followed you, big river, when she called.

[Instrumental break.]

[Kristofferson:]
Oh, she took me to St. Louie later on, down the river.
Freighter said, 'She's been here, but she's gone, boy,
she's gone.'
And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked
up the club.
Raised a few eyebrows and went on down alone.

[Jennings:)
Well, I pulled into Natches next day down river,
But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay
very long.
When I left it was rainin' so nobody saw me cry.
Big river, why she doin' me this way?

[Instrumental break.]

[Cash:]
Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen,
roll it on.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf.
She loves you, big river, more than me.

[Nelson:]
I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.
[Kristofferson:]
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue
sky.
[Jennings:]
And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood
you, big river.
[Cash:]
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.