Back Water Blues
Dinah Washington Lyrics
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And the skies turned dark at night
When it rained five days
And the skies turned dark at night
There was trouble takin' place
In the lowland at night
I woke up this mornin'
I woke up this mornin'
Couldn't even get out of my door
Enough trouble to make a poor woman
Wonder where she's gonna go
They rowed a little boat
About five miles across the farm
Said they rowed a little boat
About five miles across the farm
I packed up all of my clothes, trowed them in
And they rowed me along
Where it thundered and lightnin'
And the wind began to blow
Said it thundered and lightnin'
And the wind began to blow
There was thousands of people
They had no place to go
I went out and stood up
On a high old lonesome hill
I went out and stood up
On a high old lonesome hill
I looked down on the house
Where I used to live
Back water blues that calls me
To pack my things and go
Back water blues that calls me
To pack my things and go
Cause my house fell down
And I can't live there no more
Ooh, I can't live there no more
Ooh, I can't live there no more
There ain't no place for a poor woman to go
The song Back Water Blues by Dinah Washington is a blues ballad that describes the devastation caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. The song describes the events that occurred when it rained for five days; the skies turned dark at night, water started rising in the lowlands, and thousands of people had no place to go. The singer, who is a poor woman, wakes up unable to leave her house because of the flood. She describes how the only means of transportation is a little boat that they use to row across the farm. She packs up her clothes, throws them into the boat, and leaves with the others.
The song paints a vivid picture of the disaster and its impact on the people who were affected. The lyrics are a reflection of the despair and desperation felt by those caught up in the crisis. The chorus of "back water blues" serves as a bleak reminder of the sad reality of the situation. The song also alludes to the desolation of the flood; the singer stands on a high hill and looks down on her former home that no longer stands. Ultimately, the lyrics acknowledge the harsh reality for people who were poor and unable to find a place to live after their homes were destroyed.
Line by Line Meaning
When it rained five days
And the skies turned dark at night
After five days of rain and dark skies at night
There was trouble takin' place
In the lowland at night
There was trouble happening in the lowland at night
I woke up this mornin'
Couldn't even get out of my door
I woke up this morning and couldn't leave my house
Enough trouble to make a poor woman
Wonder where she's gonna go
There was enough trouble to make a poor woman wonder where to go
They rowed a little boat
About five miles across the farm
They rowed a little boat about five miles across the farm
And they rowed me along
Where it thundered and lightnin'
And the wind began to blow
They rowed me along where there was thunder, lightning, and wind blowing
There was thousands of people
They had no place to go
There were thousands of people with nowhere to go
I went out and stood up
On a high old lonesome hill
I went out and stood on a high, lonesome hill
Where I used to live
Where my house used to be
Back water blues that calls me
To pack my things and go
The backwater blues are calling me to pack my things and leave
Cause my house fell down
And I can't live there no more
My house fell down and I can't live there anymore
There ain't no place for a poor woman to go
There is no place for a poor woman to go
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SPILL TEA TV
When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night
When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night
Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
There's been enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she want to go
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
I packed all my clothes, throwed them in and they rowed me along
When it thunders and lightnin' and when the wind begins to blow
When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow
There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then looked down on the house were I used to live
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more
Mmm, I can't move no more
Mmm, I can't move no more
There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go
jay pittman
goosebumps and tears man......this womans voice does it everytime and I have been listening to her for over 30 years. hear the thunder!!!!!!
HJK Legacy1
Spot on!
Counciwilla Gray
LOVE THIS!!!! NOBODY DOES IT LIKE DINAH. HEY EVERYONE, THIS IS REAL MUSIC.
Ossi der Bossi
@Bernhard Lohr ne ehrlich nicht
Bernhard Lohr
A big Yes and Ja from Germany!
Thomas Lombardo
No female singer today can hold a candle to Dinah Washington. . Love her forever. ๐๐๐๐๐
thestationarynomad
I love love love Dinah! This was the first song I ever heard her incredible voice and I was hooked from that moment.
Frank Zee
There was no need of autotuning for a voice as fine as this one. ย Today's pop singers can't hold a candle to this woman.
Lamont Lewis
Louder please. I don't think enough people heard you.
SPILL TEA TV
When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night
When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night
Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
There's been enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she want to go
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
I packed all my clothes, throwed them in and they rowed me along
When it thunders and lightnin' and when the wind begins to blow
When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow
There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then looked down on the house were I used to live
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more
Mmm, I can't move no more
Mmm, I can't move no more
There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go