The River Won't Flow

I left my home at fifteen
 I wore this very same coat
 My mama said, "Son, if you stay on this path,
 You'll find a river full of money where the rich fish flow"
 I said, "I'll catch me them fish"
 And I've searched low and searched high
 Well, I've seen more water than Columbus had seen
 I found me this lake that was greener than green
 I said, "Mama, I know this is what you mean"
 But when I bent for a sip, the river ran dry
 The river won't flow for me (no no no)
 The river won't flow for me (no no no no)
 I live my life on the up and up
 And this is where I was meant to be
 But the river don't
 The river won't
 Flow for me
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 I never had me no house
 I never had me no phone
 I never had much that I didn't have to go
 And fight for the right to call it my own
 I don't expect any help
 I don't expect nothing free
 It's not about being any righteous man
 It's not about God and the master plan
 It's not about doing the best I can
 No, this corner was where I was born to be
 'Cause the river won't flow for me (no no no)
 The river won't flow for me (no no no no)
 It's just one of the little lessons
 That I learned on my Mama's knee
 The river don't
 The river won't
 Flow for me
 It's all luck,
 It's just luck
 There's no way you can rig the game because
 It's all luck,
 It's just luck
 The sinner and the saint could wind up the same 'cause
 It's all luck,
 It's just luck
 That decides between the noose and the knife
 It's all luck,
 It's just luck
 When you're begging to switch
 With some rich son-of-a-b**ch
 Who ain't never done nothing to deserve that life
 It seems so easy to run
 Until there's nowhere to go
 You never get much for the dues you pay
 You never go far on the easy way
 There isn't much choice
 But to kneel and pray
 For the river, the river, the river
 To flow
 Flow, flow, flow, flow
 Flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow
 The river's got to flow
 The river's got to flow
 River, river, river, river,
 Flow!
 But the river won't flow for you (no no no)
 The river won't flow for you (no no no no)
 You gotta live how you gotta live
 You gotta do what you gotta do
 'Cause the river don't
 The river won't
 The river can't
 The river ain't never ever gonna flow for you
 Never gonna flow for you
 Never gonna flow for you
 Never gonna flow for you!