| Well, backwater done rose all around Sumner now | 
| Drove me down the line | 
| Backwater done rose at Sumner | 
| Drove poor Charley down the line | 
| Lord, I’ll tell the world the water | 
| Done crept through this town | 
| Lord, the whole round country | 
| Lord, river has overflowed | 
| Lord, the whole round country | 
| Man, is overflowed | 
| You know I can’t stay here | 
| I’ll go where it’s high, boy | 
| I would goto the hilly country | 
| But, they got me barred | 
| Now, look-a here now at Leland | 
| River was risin' high | 
| Look-a here boys around Leland tell me River was raisin' high | 
| Boy, it’s risin' over there, yeah | 
| I’m gonna move to Greenville | 
| Fore I leave, goodbye | 
| Look-a here the water now, Lordy | 
| Levee broke, rose most everywhere | 
| The water at Greenville and Leland | 
| Lord, it done rose everywhere | 
| Boy, you can’t never stay here | 
| I would go down to Rosedale | 
| But, they tell me there’s water there | 
| Now, the water now, mama | 
| Done took Charley’s town | 
| Well, they tell me the water | 
| Done took Charley’s town | 
| Boy, I’m goin' to Vicksburg | 
| Well, I’m goin' to Vicksburg | 
| For that high of mine | 
| I am goin' up that water | 
| Where lands don’t never flow | 
| Well, I’m goin' over the hill where | 
| Water, oh don’t ever flow | 
| Boy, hit Sharkey County and everything was down in Stovall | 
| But, that whole county was leavin' | 
| Over that Tallahatchie shore Boy | 
| Went to Tallahatchie and got it over there | 
| Lord, the water done rushed all over | 
| Down old Jackson road | 
| Lord, the water done raised | 
| Over the Jackson road | 
| Boy, it starched my clothes | 
| I’m goin' back to the hilly country | 
| Won’t be worried no more |