Old Rivers

Old Rivers - Walter Brennan/The Johnny Mann Singers (Johnny Mann Singers)

How old was I when I first seen Old Rivers

I can't remember when he weren't around

That old fellow he did a heap of work

He spent his whole life walking plowed ground

He had the one roomed shack not far from us

Well we's about as poor as him

He had one old mule he used to call Midnight

I'd tread along after then

He used to plow them rows just straight and deep

And I'd come along behind

Busting up plows with my own bare feet

Old Rivers he was a friend of mine

The sun had get high and

That old mule he'd work Old Rivers he'd finally say whoa

He'd wipe his brow and he'd laid back on them reins

He'd talk about that place he's wanna go

He used to say one of these days

I'm gonna climb that mountain

I'm gonna walk up there among them Clouds

Where the cotton's high and the corns're growing

And there isn't no fields to plow

I got a letter today it's from the folks back home

They're all doing fine the crop's a dry

Down near the Mom said end you heard Old Rivers died

Sitting here now on this new plowed earth

Just trying find a little shade

Well sun's beating down cross them fields now I can see

That mule Old Rivers and me

Now one of these days

I'm gonna climb that mountain

Walk up there among them Clouds

Where the cotton's high and the corns're growing

And there isn't no fields to plow

With the sun beaiting own cross them fields

I see

That mule Old Rivers and me