Don’t Go Near the Water
Johnny Cash Lyrics

From the fountains in the mountains
Pure and fresh water comes from the springs in the high mountains

Comes the water running cool and clear and blue
The water is crystal clear and blue as it runs down from the mountains

And it comes down from the hills
The water flows down the hills as small streams and reaches the cities and towns

And it goes down to the towns and passes through
The water runs through the towns, supplying water for various purposes

When it gets down to the cities
As the water reaches the cities, it gets contaminated with the pollutants

Then the water turns into a dirty gray
The clear water turns murky gray due to the contamination

It's poisoned and polluted
The water gets polluted with hazardous chemicals and substances

By the people as it goes along its way
People are responsible for polluting the water as it flows through their towns and cities

Don't go near the water children
Children are advised to stay away from the contaminated water to stay safe and healthy

See the fish all dead upon the shore
The pollution in the water is causing the death of many fish and other aquatic life forms

Cause the water isn't water anymore
The contamination has made the water unfit for drinking and using for other purposes

I took my boy fishin' to my old favorite fishin' hole
The artist takes his son to his favorite fishing spot, where he used to go as a kid

I had caught many a fish out of that deep clear water
The singer reminisces about the time when the water was deep and clear and he caught many fish there

From the time I was a boy like him
The singer is referring to the time when he was a boy, like his son, and went fishing

After we'd fished a few minutes
After fishing for a while, the boy asks his father if they have caught any fish

He said, 'Did you get a bite yet daddy?'
The boy asks his father if they had any success in catching fish

I said, 'I think I got a nibble son'. 'Me too,' he said
The father and son both feel like they might have caught something but are not sure

Then he said, 'Daddy if we catch a fish can we eat him'
The boy asks his father if they can eat the fish if they catch one

I said, 'Well, there was a time son
The father explains that there was a time when the water was clean and the fish were safe to eat

This water's bad now and I might not be safe to eat the fish
Due to the pollution, the fish might not be safe to eat anymore

But there was a time
The father is nostalgic about the time when the water was clean and the fish were safe to eat

There was a time the air was clean
The artist is reminiscing about the time when the air was fresh and pollution-free

And you could see forever 'cross the plains
The air was so clear that people could see for miles across the plains

The wind was sweet as honey
The air was fragrant and sweet, like honey

And no one had ever heard of acid rain
Acid rain was not yet known or prevalent during that time

We're torturin' the earth
The human actions are causing damage to the environment and the planet

And pourin' every kind of evil in the sea
The pollutants are being poured into the sea, contaminating it further

We violated nature
Humans have not respected nature and have exploited it for their own means

And our children have to pay the penalty
The future generations, including the children, have to face the consequences of our actions