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Big River Lyrics by The Highwaymen

Highwayman

1985

[Chorus: Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash]
I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die
[Verse 1: Willie Nelson]
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl
Then I heard my dream went back downstream, cavortin' in Davenport
And I followed you, big river, when she called
[Verse 2: Kris Kristofferson]
Oh, she took me to St. Louis later on, down the river
A freighter said, "She's been here, but she's gone, boy, she's gone"
And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block
Raised a few eyebrows and went on down alone
[Verse 3: Waylon Jennings]
Well, I pulled into Natchez, next day down the river
But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long
When I left, it was rainin', so nobody saw me cry
Big river, why she doin' me this way?
[Verse 4: Johnny Cash]
Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans
Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf
She loves you, big river, more than me
[Chorus: Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash]
I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky
And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die
Credits
The Highwaymen

The Highwaymen

About “Big River” by The Highwaymen

Read the complete lyrics to "Big River" by The Highwaymen from the album "Highwayman" in 1985. 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 Country, Outlaw Country, Cover.

"Big River" is performed by The Highwaymen. from the album "Highwayman" in 1985 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 "Big River", explore more songs by The Highwaymen 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

"Big River" is credited to The Highwaymen. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Big River" appears on "Highwayman" in 1985.

Visit the The Highwaymen artist page at /artist/the-highwaymen for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.