[Verse 1]
Well, I was born up in the mountains
Raised up in a desert town
And I never saw the ocean
Till I was close to your age now
[Chorus]
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, your rolling river
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
[Verse 2]
I'm going back to San Angelo
The ground is hard and the count is dry
But I'm gonna get my fill somehow
Rivers of corn, and wheat and rye
[Chorus]
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, your rolling river
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
[Chorus]
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, your rolling river
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
[Verse 3]
Now, red, red, river bowing
Will she remember all the things we said?
And what's the chance that she'll remember
All those nights in the riverbed?
[Chorus]
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, your rolling river
Oh Shanondoah, I long to see you
Hey hey hey, only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right
Only a river gonna make things right