They were down by the river on that Lincoln County shore
Singing Peace In The Valley and preaching up a storm

There was a crowd gathered down by the river
Where me and Benny Thompson used to play
I wondered if they had enough a water
To wash old Lester Harper's sins away
Cause I heard Miss Ida whisper he's too lost to save

Well they would sing and it would rain and it was frightening
Some things are hard to understand when you're eight
I can still hear the thunder and see the lightning
When Preacher Hayes raised his hands to pray
I could feel my body tremble cause I was so afraid

Yeah they were down by the river...

[ guitar ]
I was there but I could barely hear the sermon
I was scared and didn't care to get up close
I heard him tell 'em something was a burning
And then he shouted something about a ghost
And when they walked down in the water
Sister Harper hollered please don't let him go

Well they were down by the river...
They were down by the river...
They were down by the river...