I came in three days early
To meet my boat.
It ain’t the life of Riley,
But it’s keeping me afloat.
It’s quiet over Christmas,
If you got no place to go.
I got my home from river rats,
The only home I know.
I found myself a flophouse,
And I hit the streets at nine.
Get some grub and drink a beer,
Maybe go down the line.
These chips will take your money,
Shake a young man down.
It’s the same in every one of these
Sorry river towns.
River towns, sorry river towns,
River towns.
River towns, sorry river towns,
River towns.
Well I picked me up a bottle
To take back to the room,
Then I saw a young girl standing
In a doorway in the gloom.
We’d hardly started talking
The old scenario,
And I just let her work me over
Down by the Ohio.
River towns, sorry river towns,
River towns.
River towns, sorry river towns,
River towns.
When I asked her if she’d like to stay,
She was down my stairs so quick.
I never asked what got her started
With the sorry river tricks.
So I get the bottle open,
But something’s hit a nerve,
And I’m looking in the mirror
At the face that I deserve.
River towns, sorry river towns,
River towns.
River towns, sorry river towns,
River towns.