When it rained five days
and the skies
turned dark as night
When it rained five days
and the skies
turned dark as night
There was trouble takin' place
in the lowland at night

I woke up this mornin',
couldn't even get out of my door
I woke up this mornin',
couldn't even get out of my door
Enough trouble
to make a poor woman wonder
where she's gonna go

They rowed a little boat
just about five miles
across the farm
Said they rowed a little boat
just about five miles
across the farm
I packed up all of my clothes,
throwed them in,
and they rowed me along

Well it thundered and lightnin'd,
and the winds began to blow
Said it thundered and lightnin'd,
and the winds began to blow
There was thousands of people
They had no place to go

I went out and I stood
on a high old lonesome hill
I went out and I stood
on a high old lonesome hill
I looked down on the house
where I used to live

Back Water Blues that calls me
to pack my things and go
Back Water Blues that calls me
to pack my things and go
Cause my house fell down,
and I can't live there no more
Ooh, I can't live there no more
Ooh, I can't live there no more
There ain't no place
for a poor old woman to go