I've been watching the man at the bar With his head in his hands And I think to myself I was just like you I can see there were times in your life When it's way too much for you The battles you had or the armor you chose
When I first fell in love in the morning I tried to remember to say A quiet thank you And if our eyes were the weight in my heart Then I could play myself A sweet little song
And I feel those cool rivers Washing all over me And I know these smooth rhythms Make me move my feet Oh you give me those soul shivers Taking me back to the days When music was a life giver Make a bad man change ways
[instrumental break]
Cool rivers, soul shiver I can feel those smooth rhythms Make a bad man change A bad man change his way
I've seen men who sleep On the side of the road With a smile upon their face I heard old men sing with youth in their voice When their old time record plays I seen young boys learning their first steps To the sound of those drum breaks And I heard the sound that accompanied So many fresh mistakes
And I feel those cool rivers Washing all over me And I know these smooth rhythms Make me move my feet Oh you give me those soul shivers Taking me back to the days When music was a life giver Make a bad man change ways
[instrumental break]
Cool rivers, soul shiver I can feel those smooth rhythms Make a bad man change A bad man change his way