Cruel White Water Lyrics - Singles - Robert Hunter

Up near the border where the cruel white water 

Drowns vagabond who sleeps too low 

Me and my companion, famous Jack O'Lanterns 

Tracked the misty mountain through the snow 

Ran across the hidden chord, couldn't learn the changes 

Blue Pacific called, I had to go 

There was holly on the ivy in the apparition mountains 

The warmest bed I found was ten below 

Courted lady Greensleeves, she threw me out the window 

I landed like a feather in the trees 

Took off across New Mexico and landed in the Bayou 

But the catfish was too lean, I had to blow 

Don't lie for gold, no, no, no 

Don't lie for love, turns out cold 

If life depends, just get out whole 

Don't lie for less, no, no, no, no 

Marie, Marie Helena 

You're my amour, you're my own heart 

Oh, Marie, Marie Helena 

Oh Marie, Marie Helena 

Left the life of ease and caught the black iron steamer 

Across the barren waste to your arcade 

I sang, 'Take me to your leader in my strangest country tenor' 

The bed I meant to lay was halfway made 

Leftover pieces aren't exactly what I needed 

They didn't have much meaning on their own 

There was some talk of deviation from what was never mentioned 

So I set out to find the wrong way home 

Home inside the hour, tuning my guitar 

Well, I get that sudden urge I know too well 

I finished my rendition of don't pity my condition 

Then I looked around to find what I could sell 

Can't sell your soul, leave that alone 

Can't change your role, Big Daddy Low 

Don't break your back less than love 

Don't trade your love stars above 

And Marie, Marie Helena 

My firelight, you steal my heart 

Oh Marie, Marie Helena 

Oh Marie, Marie Helena 

Caught up with Jack O'Lanterns in a town called Make It Hurt 

Preaching three card Monte in the Live And Let It Church 

The choir was down and dirty, drawin' bad and bettin' worse 

Left at ten to six in a padded hearse 

I might find companions in the after-hour taverns 

Tell a tale or two I've never heard but the strangest song I know 

Is 'What the thunder says to lightning' 

And I never could recall a single word 

Except 

Up, near the border where the cruel white water 

Drowns the vagabond who sleeps too low 

Me and my companion, famous Jack O'Lanterns 

Tracked the misty mountains through the snow 

Don't lie for gold, no, no, no 

Don't lie for love, turns out cold 

If life depends, just get out whole 

Don't lie for less, no, no, no, no 

Marie, Marie Helena 

You're my amour, you're my own heart 

Oh Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie, Marie Helena 

Marie Marie, Marie Helena