1) The city grew up in the Delta, down at the river’s mouth
A city unlike any other but still part of the South
There were Creole, Cajun, black and white, livin’ side by side
Some came there to make a name and some came there to hide
There were roughnecks on the oil rigs, shrimpers on the sea
Politicians lyin’ through their teeth like the preachers on TV
There were jazz men tryin’ to make a buck and pretty women too
Rich and poor like every town, doin’ what people do
Chorus
New Orleans under water, New Orleans washed away
New Orleans under water, let the music play
2) The river was a wild thing so they built levees on the bank
Then they built them higher as the city slowly sank
When they knew that storm was comin’ those that could left town
Those that couldn’t cried and prayed hopin’ God wouldn’t let’em drown
Rain came down, a mighty flood.with a steady drivin’ beat
Wind was howlin’ and the levees broke and the river filled the street
It poured into the houses, ran down alleyways
Dead men with unanswered prayers were floatin’ there for days Chorus
3) Rescue was a slow train and it made a lot of stops
‘Cause black folks waitin’ in the rain meant nothin’ to the men on top
Seems like the boys in DC had better things to do
Wars to fight, money to make and other folks to screw
Now the city lies in ruins and it’s crazy to pretend
The mighty oak is gonna break if it can’t learn to bend
There’s wailin’ in the moonlight, do you recognize the sound?
Gather up the children and move to higher ground Chorus
