Backwater at Blytheville, backed up all around It was fifty families and children come to sink and drown The water was rising up at my friend's door The man said to his women folk Lord we'd better go The water was risin' got up in my bed I thought I would take a trip, Lord, out on the big ice sled Oh, I can hear, Lord, Lord, water upon my door I couldn't get no boats there, Marion City gone down So high water was risin' our men sinkin down It was fifty men and children come to sink and drown Oh, Lordy, women and grown men drown I couldn't see nobody home and was no one to be found