The river

I come from down in the valley
where mister when you're young
They bring you up to do
like your daddy done
Me and mary we met in high school
when she was just seventeen
We'd ride out of that valley
down to where the fields were green

We'd go down to the river
And into the river wed dive
Oh down to the river
we'd ride

Then I got mary pregnant
and man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteen birthday
I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse
and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles
no walk down the aisle
No flowers, no wedding dress That night we'd go down to the river
And into the river wed dive
Oh down to the river
we'd ride

I got a job working construction
for the johnstown company
But lately there aint been much work
on account of the economy
Now all them things
that seemed so important
Well mister they vanished right into the air
Now I just act like I dont remember,
Mary acts like she dont care
But I remember us
riding in my brothers car
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
At night on them banks Id lie awake
And pull her close
just to feel each breath shed take
Now those memories
come back to haunt me,
they haunt me like a curse
Is a dream a lie
if it don't come true
Or is it something worse

that sends me me down to the river
though i know the river is dry
that sends me down to the river tonight
down to the river
my baby and i
oh down to the river we ride