Mary grab the baby river's risin' mudy water taking back the land Old frame house she can't take no more beatin' ain't no use to stay and make a stand Well the morning light showed water in the valley Daddy's grave just went below the line Things they say you just can't take 'em with you The flood will swallow all you leave behind Won't be back to start all over cause what I've held before is gone Mary take the child the river's risin' muddy water taking back my home [ guitar ] The road is gone there's just one way to leave here Turn my back on what I've left below Shiftin' lands broken farms around me muddy water's changin' all I know Hard to say just what I'm losin' ain't never felt so all alone Mary take the child the river's risin' muddy water taking back my home [ fiddle ] Won't be back to start... That muddy water taking back my home Muddy water's taking back my home muddy water taking back my home