When The Levee Breaks
Composer(s): Joe McCoy; Memphis Minnie
Performer(s): Memphis Minnie



If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin'a break
If it keeps on rainin', levee's going to break
An' when the levee breaks have no place to stay

Mean old levee taught me to weep an' moan boy
Mean old levee taught me to weep an' moan
It's got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his
home-ah~oh well, ah~oh well, ah~oh well-ah ooh-ooh

Oh don't it make ya feel bad when you're tryin'a find your way home?
You don't know which way to go
If you're goin' down South they got no work to do
If you're goin' on to Chi-cago
Ahhh~eah, ahhh~eah, ahhh~eah hey hey

Cryin' won't help ya, prayin' won't do ya no good, no
A-cryin' won't help ya, prayin' won't do you no good
An' when the levee breaks, mama you got to move ah~ooh-hooh

All last night I sat on the levee an' moaned-ahh
All last night sat on the levee an' moaned
A-thinkin' 'bout my baby and my happy home ahh-hah

Ohh-oh-oh, ohh-oh-oh, ohh-oh-oh, hahhh
Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah-ah, ahhh
Hey! Oh!

I'm goin'
I'm goin' to Chicago
I'm goin' to Chicago
Sorry but I can't take you~ahhh
Goin' down, I'm goin' down now
Goin' down, I'm goin' down now
I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down
I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down

Ahhh~oooh~ohh
I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down now
I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down now
I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down now
I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down-down-down-down-down
~oooh~ooh~ooh~ooh ooh~ooh~ooh