I come from down in valley
where mister when youre young
they bring you up to do
like your daddy done
Me and Mary we met in high school
when she was just seventeen
wed drive out of this valley
down to where the fields were green
Wed go down to the river
and into the river wed dive
oh down to the river wed ride
Then I got Mary pregnant
and man that was all she wrote
and for my nineteenth 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 went down to the river
and into the river wed dive
oh down to the river wed ride
I got a job working constrction
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 dont come true
or is it something worse
that sends 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