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Cold Missouri Waters Lyrics by James Keelaghan

History: The First 25 Years

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My name is Dodge, but then you know that
'Cause it's written on the chart there at the foot end of the bed
They think I'm blind or I can't read it
I've read it every word, and every word it says is 'death'
So, Confession - is that the reason that you came
Get it off my chest before I check out of the game
Since you mention it, well there's thirteen things I'll name
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters
August 'Forty-Nine, West Montana
The hottest day on record, the forest tinder dry
Lightning strikes in the mountains
I was crew chief at the jump base; I prepared those boys to fly
Into the drop zone, C-47 comes in low
Feel the tap upon your leg that tells you go
See the circle of that fire down below
Fifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters
I gauged the fire - I'd seen bigger
So I ordered them to sidehill and we'd fight it from below
We'd have our backs to that river
We'd have it licked by morning even if we took it slow
But the fire crowned, it jumped the valley just ahead
There was no way down, we headed for the ridge instead
Too big to fight it, we'd have to fight that slope instead
Flames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters
Sky had turned red, the slope was boiling
Two hundred yards to safety, death was fifty yards behind
I don't know why, I just thought it
I struck a match to waist-high grass, running out of time
Tried to tell them, step into this fire I've set
We can't make it; this is the only chance you'll get
But they cursed me, ran for the rocks above instead
I lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters
And when I rose, like the phoenix
In that world reduced to ashes, there were none but two survived
I stayed that night and one day after
Carried bodies to the river, wondering how I'd stayed alive
Thirteen Stations of the Cross to mark to their fall
I've had my say, I'll confess to nothing more
And I'll join them now, those that left me long before
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri shore
Shenandoah, I long to see you
Far away, you rolling river
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you
Way down the way, across the wide Missouri
Credits
James Keelaghan

James Keelaghan

About “Cold Missouri Waters” by James Keelaghan

Read the complete lyrics to "Cold Missouri Waters" by James Keelaghan from the album "History: The First 25 Years". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Cold Missouri Waters" is performed by James Keelaghan. from the album "History: The First 25 Years" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Cold Missouri Waters", explore more songs by James Keelaghan using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Cold Missouri Waters" is credited to James Keelaghan. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Cold Missouri Waters" appears on "History: The First 25 Years".

Visit the James Keelaghan artist page at /artist/james-keelaghan for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.