When I was born I was running as my feet hit the ground
Before I could talk I was humming an old railroad sound
Things didn't get much better when by the age of five
They found me walking into Clarksdale trying to keep my friends alive

No time for celebration there was no known cure
Seems I was born and raised in the wrong killing floor
And my loved ones gathered round see if the experiment had worked
I was misplaced, out of time privileged and worse

Oh, mama please
Don't cry for me
Tears to the river
Tears to be free

Now I see twelve white horses yeah walking in a line
Moving east across the metal bridge on Highway 49
And standing in the shadows of a burnt out motel
The King of Commerce Mississippi waited with his hound from hell, oh

A shiny noon riverboat taking income from the poor
It's floating by the levee in an artificial pool
There's a six mile tailback back on junction 304
A stranger at the crossroads believe I've seen his face before

Oh, don't cry for me
Tears fill the river
Tears to be free

Oh, I'm sad to be leaving
The sun's going down and I really got to go now
Sad to be leaving
The sun's going down, I really got to go now

Yeah really got to go now
I I gotta go
I've got to move
I've got to move, yeah, ah

Sad to be leaving
Sun's going down, I really got to go now
Sad to be leaving
The sun going down, I really got to go now
Yeah, really got to go now, oh

Sad to be leaving
Sun's going down, I really got to go now
Sad to be leaving
The sun's going down, I really got to go now

Yeah really got to go now, yeah
Oh, gotta go now
Yes I've got, gotta go now
Yeah