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Black Water
The Doobie Brothers Lyrics


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Well, I built me a raft and she's ready for floatin'
Ol' Mississippi, she's callin' my name
Catfish are jumpin', that paddle wheel thumpin'
Black water keeps rollin' on past just the same

Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?

Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything
Pretty mama, gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

Well, if it rains, I don't care
Don't make no difference to me
Just take that streetcar that's goin' uptown
Yeah, I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland and dance a honky-tonk
And I'll be buyin' ev'rybody drinks all 'roun'

Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?

Keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything, everything
Gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
(By the hand) hand (take me by the hand) pretty mama
Gonna dance with your daddy all night long
I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand, pretty mama (I wanna honky-tonk, honky-tonk)
Gonna dance with your daddy night long (honky-tonk with you all long)
I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand, pretty mama (I wanna honky-tonk, honky-tonk)
Gonna dance with you all night long (honky-tonk with you all long)
I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand, pretty mama (I wanna honky-tonk, honky-tonk)
Gonna dance with you all night long (honky-tonk with you all long)
I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand, pretty mama (I wanna honky-tonk, honky-tonk)
Gonna dance with you all night long (honky-tonk with you all long)
I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand, pretty mama (I wanna honky-tonk, honky-tonk)
Gonna dance with you all night long (honky-tonk with you all long)

Overall Meaning

"Black Water" is a song by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, and it tells of a man who has built a raft and is floating down the Mississippi River. He revels in the sights and sounds of the river while getting lost in the honky-tonk music of New Orleans. The lyrics express his appreciation for the simple pleasures and his contentment with the moment. The phrase "Black Water" is a reference to the slow-moving, murky water of the river.


The Doobie Brothers co-founder, Patrick Simmons, wrote this song, which became one of their biggest hits. Simmons has said that the song was inspired by a camping trip he took with his family near an Arkansas swamp. He would go for swims in the dark water and spent much of his time contemplating the river.


The song features a distinctive blend of rock, country, blues, and jazz, with the repetitive guitar riffs and upbeat tempo that make it a perfect music for dancing. "Black Water" is an ode to the South and its culture, with its references to honky-tonk music and the Mississippi River, giving it a distinctly American flavor. Its lyrics are an invitation to live in the moment and enjoy simple pleasures, like dancing all night long to funky Dixieland.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, I built me a raft and she's ready for floatin'
I have constructed a raft that is now set to be used for my journey


Ol' Mississippi, she's callin' my name
I feel a strong connection to the Mississippi river and it beckons me


Catfish are jumpin', that paddle wheel thumpin'
I can hear the sound of the paddle wheel and the sight of the jumping catfish around the raft


Black water keeps rollin' on past just the same
The dark waters of the Mississippi continue to flow continuously and with no interruption


Old black water, keep on rollin'
The murky waters of the Mississippi should keep on flowing indefinitely


Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?
The moon above the Mississippi river should keep shining for me, as I take this journey


Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Moon, continue shining your light


Gonna make everything
Everything is going to turn out well


Pretty mama, gonna make everything all right
I'm feeling optimistic that everything is going to be okay with the help of a pretty woman


And I ain't got no worries
I am untroubled and without anxieties


'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all
I have plenty of time and feel no urgency to rush


Well, if it rains, I don't care
A little rain doesn't bother me


Don't make no difference to me
It does not matter to me


Just take that streetcar that's goin' uptown
I will take the streetcar to go uptown


Yeah, I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland and dance a honky-tonk
I want to listen to some upbeat music and dance at a honky-tonk bar


And I'll be buyin' ev'rybody drinks all 'roun'
I will be generously buying drinks for everyone


Pretty mama, come and take me by the hand
A charming woman should take me by the hand


Gonna dance with your daddy all night long
I will dance with her all night like a father and daughter


I wanna honky-tonk, honky-tonk
I want to dance the night away at a honky-tonk


Gonna dance with you all night long
I will happily dance with my companion for the entire night


Old black water, keep on rollin', Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me?
The Mississippi river should keep on flowing, while the moon above keeps shining above me


Keep on shinin' your light, gonna make everything, everything, gonna make everything all right
Moon, continue shining: everything is going to turn out well


Gonna dance with you all night long (honky-tonk with you all long)
I will spend the entire night dancing with you romantically




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Patrick Simmons

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@theminister1154

It will be obscurata.
It's obscurata already.
Doesn't speak to the quality of the music though.
Very good act.

I've played with guys this good.
Never played with a band with guys this good that sang this well though.

I think for 70s studio musician supergroups you'll probably have Steely Dan in 100 years popping up. Several notable tunes. Maybe "what a fool believes" from these guys. That's a nice piece of pop for some hipster to cite in 2123.



All comments from YouTube:

@Reviewsnooz

We need music like this these days … that was music on a better frequency and it was so peaceful

@sebastianralphs6554

Train sampled this song used stole some of the lyrics from this and used it in their song “I got You”

@Rustyrc83

He looks so happy to be performing this song! You can feel the joy coming through.

@donellaholmes9533

Saw them last night and he was just as joyful with long white hair

@user-kl3bm9gh2z

He is so chill ♥️

@TheDivayenta

He’s always been that way. I knew him in high school - when he wrote this!

@toughenupfluffy7294

This is how you make people happy.

@kadehebert201

Really important comment, thanks.
Music was, is, and will always be able to shape the emotions of humans.
Most importantly to disperse a pilgrim under the curse of the empty emotional vessel, where exists only darkness and without any light, forever. Amen¥

@sharonmontano4924

I was in high school in the 70’s and I was spoiled , thinking every generation of musicians was gonna be as good Boy was I wrong But eternally grateful to have there

@ibeg4sushi

I was thinking the same thing, I’m class of ‘87, but we both had it so good didn’t we? We didn’t know it was fleeting…

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