Walking Into Clarksdale
PAGE Jimmy & PLANT Robert Lyrics

When I was born I was running
I came into the world full of energy and always on the move

As my feet hit the ground
From the moment I was born, I was ready to go and do things

Before I could walk I was humming, an old railroad sound
Even as a baby, I had an affinity for the sounds of the world around me

Things didn't get much better, when by the age of five
Despite my early passion and enthusiasm, things didn't improve as I got older

They found me walking into Clarksdale
I was always exploring and moving, eager to see the world

Trying to keep my friends alive
I was deeply concerned for those around me, always looking out for their safety

No time for celebration, there was no known cure
My life was filled with hardship and difficulty, with no clear solution in sight

Seems I was born and raised in the wrong killing floor
I always felt out of place, like the world was not meant for me

And my loved ones gathered round to see if the experiment had worked
Even those closest to me had doubts about whether I could succeed in life

I was misplaced, out of time, privileged and worse
I felt like I didn't belong in the world I was born into, as if I was out of place and at a disadvantage

Oh mama please don't cry for me
Despite the struggles I faced, I didn't want to cause my mother any more pain

Tears to the river, tears to be free
The only solace I found was in the natural world and the freedom it represented

Now I see twelve white horses walking in a line
Even in the darkest of times, there were still moments of beauty and grace in the world

Moving east across the metal bridge on highway 49
These moments of wonder could be found anywhere, even in the most ordinary of places

And standing in the shadows of a burnt out motel
Even in the bleakest of environments, there were still tales of intrigue and mystery to uncover

The king of Commerce Mississippi waited with his hound from hell
In this dark world, there were forces of evil that had to be reckoned with

A shiny noon riverboat taking income from the poor
There were systems in place that kept people down and took advantage of their vulnerability

It's floating by the levee in an artificial pool
Even the most natural of environments were often harsh and unforgiving

There's a six mile tailback back on junction 304
The world was often a crowded, frustrating place to be

A stranger at the crossroads, believe I've seen his face before
Even in this crowded world, there were still moments of serendipity and surprise

Oh, don't cry for me, tears fill the river, tears to be free
Despite all the struggle and the pain, I still found peace in the natural world and the freedom it represented

I'm sad to be leaving, the sun is going down and I really got to go now
Even when things are beautiful, they don't last forever and we must move on

Really got to go now, I've got to move, I've got to move, yeah, ah
Life is a journey and we must keep moving forward, no matter what obstacles come our way

Oh, gotta go now, yes, yes, gotta go now, yeah
Like the natural world around us, life is always in motion and we must move with it