Don't Go Near The Water
Sammy Kershaw Lyrics


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Your mama used to worry about that big muddy river
Honey do you remember?
You let the screen door slam when you stepped off the front porch
Hear ya mama calling don't be late
And I'd hear ya daddy holler son she's my only daughter
You stick your nose in the honeysuckle down by the gate
I can still hear ya mama calling don't go near the water
We fell right in way over our heads
But we didn't go near the water
A love ran deep so young and sweet
And the nights got hotter and hotter
We're sure enough gettin' our feet wet mama
But we didn't go near the water

We hear a rockin' chair squeekin' as we sneaked up the back stairs
Mama waitin like a grizzly bear
We had to get the honeysuckle out of your hair
But in the morning light you'd look her right in the eye
You wouldn't lie
We didn't go near the water

We fell right in way over our heads
But we didn't go near the water
A love ran deep so young and sweet
And the nights got hotter and hotter
We're sure enough gettin' our feet wet mama
But we didn't go near the water

Your mama used to worry about that big muddy river
She should've worried about me
Cause we were sure enough gettin' our feet wet mama
But we didn't go near the water

We didn't go near the water
Didn't go near the water





Yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Don't Go Near The Water" by Sammy Kershaw is a nostalgic and romantic ballad that recounts a young love affair that takes place in the country. The lyrics, full of vivid imagery, describe the carefree days of youth, spent running around, playing outside, and falling in love with the girl next door. The main refrain, "Your mama used to worry about that big muddy river," refers to a common cautionary message parents would give their children who lived near bodies of water, warning them of the dangers of drowning. In this case, however, the singer and his love interest have a strong connection that keeps them from going near the water; they fall in love naturally and deeply, without any parental warnings or restrictions weighing them down.


The song uses a variety of techniques to evoke a sense of time and place, such as the detail in the descriptions of the characters and the setting, the use of regional accents (like "ya" instead of "you"), and the repetition of the phrase "we didn't go near the water." The song also captures the thrill and fear of young love, as the couple tries to navigate their feelings while dodging the watchful eyes of their parents. Despite the challenges they faced, though, the love between them never waned, as evidenced by the line "A love ran deep so young and sweet/And the nights got hotter and hotter."


Overall, "Don't Go Near The Water" is a wistful and romantic song that celebrates the joys of young love and the freedom of growing up in the countryside. Through its vivid storytelling and nostalgic tone, the song invites the listener to look back on their own youthful experiences and remember the excitement and wonder of falling in love for the first time.


Line by Line Meaning

Your mama used to worry about that big muddy river
The singer's love interest's mother used to be concerned about the danger of the nearby river.


Honey do you remember?
The singer is asking his love interest if she remembers a particular memory.


You let the screen door slam when you stepped off the front porch
The love interest was in a hurry to leave the house and accidentally let the door slam loudly.


Hear ya mama calling don't be late
The love interest's mother is calling her daughter to remind her not to be late.


And I'd hear ya daddy holler son she's my only daughter
The love interest's father would shout at the singer to remind him that his daughter is his only child.


You stick your nose in the honeysuckle down by the gate
The love interest stopped to smell the honeysuckle flowers near the fence.


I can still hear ya mama calling don't go near the water
The love interest's mother warned her to stay away from the dangerous river.


We fell right in way over our heads
The singer and his love interest fell deeply in love.


But we didn't go near the water
Despite their love, the couple didn't approach the dangerous river.


A love ran deep so young and sweet
Their love was intense and pure, although they were still very young.


And the nights got hotter and hotter
Their love grew more passionate over time.


We're sure enough gettin' our feet wet mama
The singer acknowledges that they are getting into a serious relationship.


But we didn't go near the water
Despite their commitment to each other, they remained cautious and didn't come close to the river.


We hear a rockin' chair squeekin' as we sneaked up the back stairs
As they tiptoed up the stairs, the couple could hear the sound of a rocking chair creaking.


Mama waitin like a grizzly bear
The love interest's mother was watching out for them, like a fierce grizzly bear.


We had to get the honeysuckle out of your hair
The couple had to remove traces of the honeysuckle flowers from the love interest's hair to avoid getting caught.


But in the morning light you'd look her right in the eye
Despite their sneaking around, the couple were still honest with each other.


You wouldn't lie
The singer assures his love interest that he would never lie to her.


Your mama used to worry about that big muddy river
The danger of the river was a constant concern for the love interest's mother.


She should've worried about me
The singer believes that the love he and his partner share is much stronger than any danger they may encounter.


We didn't go near the water
The couple never approached the dangerous river.


Didn't go near the water
Reiterating that their love was safe and strong, and they had no reason to put themselves in harm's way.




Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHAPIN HARTFORD, JIM FOSTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@roberthicks5443

My mama always loved Sammy Kershaw, but i didn't realize how right mama could be till i was grown. Ol sammy is solid country GOLD, and if you listen carefully to his voice, at times you'd mistake him for George Jones

@jamieauthement6913

I was little when this song was coming out. I can't believe my parents allowed me to sing this. As I grew up, I realized the meaning and love it even more than I did as a kid

@JamesSmith-jq6om

I was 9 and I knew this song word for word pretty much after the first handful of times I heard it,but I had a completely innocent perception of the song,not knowing what it was really about then. Which is probably why my mom didn't care at all that I sang along to it every time I heard it.

@jadedstar3682

LMAO. You were young and innocent

@mistyhoyle9391

Born in 1990...same here ๐Ÿคฃ

@mistyhoyle9391

Of course a few years later lol

@thomashawkinshibbs3541

True story ๐Ÿ•บโค๏ธ๐Ÿ’ฏโœ๏ธ

9 More Replies...

@scarwalker9454

I told my new puppy yesterday โ€œdonโ€™t go near the water girlโ€. Then this fucking song played in my head ALL DAY! I woke up thinking about itโ€ฆโ€ฆso, here I am now ๐Ÿ˜‚
Thanks Sammy ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
Catchy tune.

@biseushery1236

ะฏ ะถะธะฒัƒ ะฒ ะ ะพััะธะธ, ะฝะพ ั ะพะฑะพะถะฐัŽ ัะปัƒัˆะฐั‚ัŒ ะฐะผะตั€ะธะบะฐะฝัะบะธะต ะบะฐะฝั‚ั€ะธ-ะฟะตัะฝะธ. ะžัะพะฑะตะฝะฝะพ ั ั‡ะฐัั‚ะพ ัะปัƒัˆะฐัŽ ะฟะตัะฝะธ ะกัะผะผะธ ะšะตั€ัˆะพัƒ, ะธ ะฟะตัะฝะธ ะ”ะถะพะฝะฝะธ ะšััˆะฐ. ะ’ะพะพะฑั‰ะต ะกัะผะผะธ ะšะตั€ัˆะพัƒ ะธ ะ”ะถะพะฝะฝะธ ะšััˆ - ัั‚ะพ ัƒะถะต ะปะตะณะตะฝะดั‹ ะฐะผะตั€ะธะบะฐะฝัะบะพะน ะบะฐะฝั‚ั€ะธ-ะผัƒะทั‹ะบะธ ๐Ÿ˜Ž๐Ÿค—

@garytroy3937

Country music has changed growing up I listen to George jones, George strait, Arron tippin, and a lot more of great TRUE COUNTRY MUSIC SINGERS.but now a days it's all about how tight there jeans are and perfect bodies, ITS NOT COUNTRY ANYMORE ...... God bless America.!!!! Bring our true country music back...

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