The Start of a River’s Run (One Drop)

River runnin'
Old river runnin'
River runnin'

Been runnin' so long

Had to run on down
From mountain high
To valley low
River kept running

Oh, let me tell you
It ran for your grandmother
It ran for your grandfather
It ran for your mother
And your father, too

So let me tell you children
What the river gonna do
Gonna keep on running
Gonna run for you

See, one day I had to cross the river
I had to cross cross cross cross cross the river
I had to cross the river
Just for you
Had to cross the river
Had to cross it, too
I said, oh

Before a boat was on the shore
I had to cross the river
I had to cross it for you

I remember I was trying to run away
And the river, the river was running so fast
Until I didn't know what to do

I said baby, baby, baby
I had to cross for you
I said that old river
It kept on running
I said oh, oh, oh

I said in the slavery days
Ships full of slaves
Was on the river
They were spreading them in every way
They spreaded them here and there
And they spreaded them everywhere

So I said baby, baby, baby
It's how it became you and me
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
That old river is how we got here
Thought about the babies and the babies
Because of that old river

I said baby, baby, baby
From every region
Along the mountains
All down in the valley
Oh, oh, oh

Did you hear that water running?
Did you hear that water running?
That's that old river water
Old river water
Old river water

And here we are waiting on the crossing of the river
You and I waiting just to cross the river
Just to cross the river
Just to cross the river

Baby, baby, baby
Just to cross the river
Old spirit ways
Spirit waiting on
Spirit waiting on and on and on and on and on and on and on