Down to the River

Lord I can’t feed the baby, mama’s sick and in bed
I’ve got a world full of worry running wild in my head
I spent all my money just to make ends meet
I’m begging Lord won’t you send me relief
There ain’t nobody in this world who’d bet a dime on anybody like me

So I went down to the river of insufferable sins
Lord I tried but the water wouldn’t let me come in
Too many lives have been broken
There’s too much blood on my hands
There ain’t no water in this world could turn me back into an innocent man

So I made up my mind to find that palace of fire
Surely the Lord’s fallen angel understands my desire
He’s been defiled and defeated still he never gives in
I know he’ll help me on my feet once again
Can’t no soul in this whole world but Satan understand the state that I’m in

But I went down to the fires of insufferable sin
Lord I tried but the devil wouldn’t let me come in
Unholy trust has been broken
He don’t know on which side I stand
There ain’t no room among the damned for such a broken and a penitent man

And then my good woman rises from her sickness in bed
Puts her hands on my thighs and plants a kiss on my head
Says if the water won’t have ya, if the devil’s too blind
I know that truly you were meant to be mine
And then she takes me by the hand and shows me how to leave my worries behind

I went down to the river of insufferable sins
Lord I tried but the water wouldn’t let me come in
Too many lives have been broken
There’s too much blood on my hands
Only one soul in this whole world would have me just the goddamned way that I am