Big River
The Highwaymen Lyrics
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And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl
Then I heard my dream was back downstream cavortin' in Davenport
And I followed you, Big River, when she called
Oh, she took me to St. Louis later on, down the river
A freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone
And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block
She raised a few eyebrows and then went on down alone
Well, I pulled into Natchez, next day down the river
But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long
When I left it was rainin' so nobody saw me cry
Big river, why she doin' me this way?
Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans
Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf
She loves you, Big River, more than me
I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die
The Highwaymen's song Big River tells the story of a man who falls in love with a woman he meets in St. Paul, Minnesota. Despite her southern drawl being a turn-on for him, she leaves and he spends the rest of the song pursuing her down the Mississippi River, where he discovers that she's been to St. Louis and Memphis but has moved on without him. The last part of the song sees him wallowing in abandonment and heartbreak, as he comes to terms with the fact that she's chosen the river over him.
The lyrics to Big River are heavily metaphorical, using the imagery of the river and nature to amplify the singer's emotions. The weeping willow that he claims to have taught how to cry is a symbol of his heartache, while his desire to "flood" the river with his tears speaks to his overwhelming sadness. Meanwhile, the woman he's pursuing is personified by the river, with the singer's jealousy and anger specifically directed at it.
One possible interpretation of the song is that it's a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting too attached to people who are ultimately unreliable. Despite the singer's vigilance and tireless pursuit, he can't stop the woman from moving on, perhaps suggesting that he never really had a chance with her to begin with.
Line by Line Meaning
I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
I was so full of sadness that it was as if even the trees were crying along with me
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
My heart was so broken that even the weather reflected my sorrow
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River
The pain this woman caused me is going to come back around and haunt her
Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die
I'm so brokenhearted that I have nothing left to live for
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
I didn't plan on falling in love with her, it just happened
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl
Her accent, which reminded me of where she came from, was both comforting and painful to me
Then I heard my dream was back downstream cavortin' in Davenport
I found out she was with someone else, and it crushed me
And I followed you, Big River, when she called
I couldn't resist the pull of love, even if it was leading me down a painful path
A freighter said she's been here but she's gone, boy, she's gone
I kept chasing after her, but it seemed like she was always one step ahead of me
And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block
I was so close to finding her, but it seemed like she was intentionally slipping away from me
Well, I pulled into Natchez, next day down the river
I kept following the river, hoping it would lead me back to her
But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long
I was losing hope that I would ever find her again
When I left it was rainin' so nobody saw me cry
I was so heartbroken that I couldn't even cry in front of others
Big river, why she doin' me this way?
I couldn't understand why she was treating me so badly
Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on
I want the river to keep moving forward, taking her away from me
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans
I want her to go as far away from me as possible
Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf
I'm done with this pain and I want to let it go into the vastness of the ocean
She loves you, Big River, more than me
She'll always be faithful to the river, even if she never returns my love
I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
My grief was so deep that even nature seemed to mourn with me
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
My sadness was so overwhelming that it felt like the world was mourning with me
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River
The pain she caused me will come back to haunt her, even if it means flooding the river that was once a source of comfort for me
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die
I'll never forget the pain she caused me, and I'll never move on from it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny R. Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@veldagreen4325
And the harmonica player should be given several awards!
@23Josilee
Mikey Raphael, with Willie's band for many years ( or so I've read).
@Gripenace
He is awesome with the train whistle sound ❤
@matias79
Don't forget Reggie Young! the great guitarist in the back, is one of the stars in this concert.
@mikewitcombe6507
Reggie was an absolute legend!! 🤟
@henrymalama9810
His skills can never be appreciated enough
@swaangreen9188
He never has missed a note.
@josephvanover1157
I was hoping I wasn't the only one familiar with Reggie. Got his start with Buddy Holly. So did Waylon really.
@qjudge959
Reggie probably played on more great recordings than any man alive.
@FireBallZ24Gaming
Being 32 and finding Mr. Cash then following his lead to this group, I missed out on the best era of music. 1960’s - 1990’s.