If it keeps on raining, levee's going to break
If it keeps on raining, the levee's going to break
When the levee breaks, we'll have no place to stay
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan, oh
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
It's got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home
Oh, don't it make you feel bad
When you're trying to find your way home
You don't know which way to go
When you're going down south and there's no work to do
And you're going on to Chicago
Ah, ah, ah, hey
Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good
No, crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move, ooh
All last night I sat on the levee and moaned
All last night, sat on the levee and moaned
Thinking about my baby and my happy home
I'm going to Chicago
Sorry, but I can't take you, ah
Going down, going down now
Going down