In the rock (and roll) community, Bill Monroe may be best known via one of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings at Sun Records, that of Monroe's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'. Patsy Cline also made a highly regarded version of this song.
MUDDY WATERS
Bill Monroe Lyrics
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Muddy water's taking back the land
Well this old house it won't take one more beating
Ain't no use to stay and make a stand.
The morning light showed water in the valley
Daddy's grave just went below the line
Things to save you just can't take them with you
The flood will swallow all we leave behind.
I won't be back to start all over
'Cause what I felt before is gone
Mary grab the baby river's rising
Muddy water's taking back our home.
Now the road is gone there's just one way to leave here.
I'll turn my back on what I've left below
Shifting land and broken farms around me
Muddy water's changing all I know.
It's hard to say just what I'm losing
Ain't never been so all alone
Mary grab the baby river's rising
Muddy water's taking back my home.
Well muddy water's taking back my home.
The song Muddy Waters by Bill Monroe captures the devastating effects of a flood on a rural community. The opening stanza paints a picture of the flood's intensity by describing how the river was rising above its banks and claiming back the homes and lands it had previously been tamed from. This flooding has reached a dangerous level that even their house can no longer withstand. The singer of the song, realizing that there is no point in trying to fight the water anymore, decides to leave the place behind and moves to a new location, away from the disaster.
In the second verse, the song describes the extent of the damage caused by the flood by pointing out something very personal and significant- the father's grave. It remarks how harsh the flood has been, to swallow even the memories and personal belongings they had gathered during their stay in the place. In the final stanza, the singer reflects on the feelings of loss and isolation that come with such devastating events. The song ends on a reflective note, with the singer lamenting how everything he held dear is disappearing and how uncertain the future feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary grab the baby river's rising
The water levels are rising and it's time to evacuate.
Muddy water's taking back the land
The flood is reclaiming the land and destroying everything in its path.
Well this old house it won't take one more beating
The house has been through too much and won't survive another flood.
Ain't no use to stay and make a stand.
Staying behind to fight the flood is pointless.
The morning light showed water in the valley
As day broke, the extent of the flood damage became clear.
Daddy's grave just went below the line
The flood has submerged the singer's father's grave.
Things to save you just can't take them with you
Some possessions are not worth trying to save during a disaster.
The flood will swallow all we leave behind.
Anything left behind will be destroyed by the flood.
I won't be back to start all over
The artist cannot rebuild their life after this disaster.
'Cause what I felt before is gone
The flood has washed away the artist's sense of home and belonging.
Now the road is gone there's just one way to leave here.
The flood has destroyed the roads leading out, leaving only one escape route.
I'll turn my back on what I've left below
The artist is leaving behind their home and past life.
Shifting land and broken farms around me
The flood has left the landscape unrecognizable and destroyed all the farms.
Muddy water's changing all I know.
The flood has caused irreversible changes to the singer's home and the surrounding area.
It's hard to say just what I'm losing
The disaster has caused so much destruction that it's difficult to quantify the losses.
Ain't never been so all alone
The artist has never felt so isolated and cut off from the rest of the world.
Mary grab the baby river's rising
The flood is coming and it's time to go.
Muddy water's taking back our home.
The flood has taken over and destroyed the singer's home.
Well muddy water's taking back my home.
The flood has destroyed the singer's home.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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