Cool Water
Sons of the Pioneers Lyrics


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All day I've faced the barren waste
Without the taste of water, cool water
Old Dan and I with throats burned dry
And souls that cry for water, cool, clear water

[Chorus]
Keep a-movin', Dan, don't you listen to him, Dan
He's a devil not a man
And he spreads the burning sand with water
Dan can you see that big green tree
Where the water's runnin' free
And it's waiting there for you and me

The nights are cool and I'm a fool
Each star's a pool of water, cool water
But with the dawn I'll wake and yawn
And carry on to water, cool, clear, water

The shadows sway and seem to say
Tonight we pray for water, cool, water
And way up there He'll hear our prayer
And show us where there's water, cool, clear, water

Dan's feet are sore he's yearning for
Just one thing more than water, cool, water




Like me I guess he'd like to rest
Where there's no quest for water, cool, clear, water

Overall Meaning

"Cool Water" is a song about struggle, persistence, and faith. The song is about the desert, and the struggles of a man, and his horse, Old Dan, who have been journeying across the barren landscape in search of water. They are desperately thirsty, and have been without water since the beginning of the day. The dry and sandy environment has exhausted them both, both physically and spiritually. The singer is traveling with his horse, Old Dan, their bodies and souls long for the relief offered by the clear, cold water that is so scarce in this land. The song is about their journey, the hardships they face, and the faith they hold onto in the hope that water could still be found somewhere.


Despite the harsh terrain and their exhaustion, the singer and Old Dan keep moving forward in their search for an oasis, a place where water is waiting for them. The song's lyrics describe cool water as a symbol of life itself, something that refreshes and sustains the body while also nourishing the soul. Faith is also a very important theme in this song. The singer is convinced that their prayers will be answered, that there is a way to find water in this wasteland if only they are patient and persistent enough. In the end, the song is about the power of hope, faith, and perseverance, even in the face of great adversity.


Line by Line Meaning

All day I've faced the barren waste
I have spent the entire day in a land without water and with nothing to nourish me.


Without the taste of water, cool water
I have not even gotten a tiny sip of water that could have quenched my thirst.


Old Dan and I with throats burned dry
Old Dan and I have sore dry throats due to our thirst


And souls that cry for water, cool, clear water
We are extremely thirsty and our souls yearn for a taste of cold, clean water.


Keep a-movin', Dan, don't you listen to him, Dan
We need to keep moving, Dan, and ignore the voice that tries to deter us.


He's a devil not a man
The impediments on our path are not human but are obstacles sent by the devil himself.


And he spreads the burning sand with water
He makes us see only burning sand, when what we really need is cold, life-giving water.


Dan can you see that big green tree
Dan, are you able to see that giant green tree shining with life in the distance?


Where the water's runnin' free
That tree is home to a stream of freely flowing water.


And it's waiting there for you and me
We can make it there and drink the water that we both desperately need.


The nights are cool and I'm a fool
The nights are pleasant and bring relief from the heat of the day, but I am foolish to believe I am saved from my plight.


Each star's a pool of water, cool water
Every star above seems to mockingly reflect water in its brilliant shine to my thirsty eyes.


But with the dawn I'll wake and yawn
When morning comes, I will wake up desiring water and feeling enervated.


And carry on to water, cool, clear, water
Despite the hardships, I will keep moving and hoping to reach lifesaving water.


The shadows sway and seem to say
As the day flits to night, the shadows form and writhe to remind us of our dire need of water.


Tonight we pray for water, cool, water
In the dark and almost hopeless hours, we pray to find cool, cleansing water


And way up there He'll hear our prayer
God hears our prayers even when we have almost given up hope to survive.


And show us where there's water, cool, clear, water
God will show us where to find the healing, refreshing water we so greatly need.


Dan's feet are sore he's yearning for
Dan's feet are tired and throbbing and he too yearns for


Just one thing more than water, cool, water
Dan craves rest as much as he craves a cooling gulp of water


Like me I guess he'd like to rest
Just like me, Dan hopes to catch a break at this point in our journey.


Where there's no quest for water, cool, clear, water
We want to rest at a place where we do not have to agonize about finding water anymore.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Nolan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@michaelscott9115

My dad played this when I was a young lad. He passed 8 years ago today and we lost mom earlier this year. I have whispered this song through the years! What an awesome reflection!!

@wademccormick4371

God bless

@christinabailey8123

That’s so sweet.. my dad sang this to me when I was a little girl also❤️❤️❤️ the moment I came to listen to this to calm my mind I seen your comment.. Blessing to you and your family

@michaelscott9115

@@christinabailey8123 Thank you - and many blessings to you and your family as well!! It is such a great song!!

@A54729

very sorry for your loss

@j.s.hutchens7623

it made a big splash

15 More Replies...

@bobsebring2819

One of my dad's favorites songs. I'll slways think of him when I hear this version I love you Dad. Thank you so much!

@kermitfroggie5334

Everyone has their own story about this song. For me its been like a prayer. I never knew this song existed until my husband played it one night. I fell in love with it. I found it fascinating that a song was made about, of all things water. . Everyone complains when it rains but where would we be without cool clear water??

@comicblock

I'm a Muslim, i play this song every first day of ramadan 🤣

@sgt.freyrpepper1871

wow

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