Mary almost made it to twenty-nine
The mother of an orphan and a friend of mine
Painted up with high heels on her feet
Making what she could from this filthy street

Dead on the river yesterday
Been gutted like some varmint, so they say
With a tangled rope around her, she was bound
Dead on the river, rolling down

Well, I was quotin' scripture at an early age
The old man ruled his household in a gospel rage
Up and down our hallway, the Bible spilled
Left behind a sinner in the mill and field

Dead on the river yesterday
I don't know how much longer that I can stay
They're saying now there were two more bodies found
Dead on the river, rolling down

The Feds are in their best suits, pulling rank
Scattered out with their bloodhounds along the bank
And the city lights, they flicker on the one-lane bridge
The siren echoes bouncing along the ridge

Dead on the river yesterday
I need a flood to wash my sins away
Like an ancient hickory, twisted, turning brown
Dead on the river, rolling down