THE DAY THE MISSISSIPPI DIED
As recorded by Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
(From the 2024 Album WOODLAND)


Capo 1st fret


[Intro]
   


[Verse 1]
             
Way up on the 

             
Erie they like

              
 their chops s

  
o fat
             
I've seen the 

             
League of Wome

              
n lick their f

              
ingers like a 


cat
             
While out in C

              
alifornia they

             
 like their so

   
ya beans
             
I pretty much 

             
eat anything f

             
rom soup to tu

     
rnip greens


[Verse 2]
             
I try to treat

              
 my neighbors 

       
like I like th

em to treat me
             
Even when they

             
 got that dog 

              
and cut down t

    
hat tree
             
I hate that ba

              
rking dog I mi

             
ss that old oa

       
k everyday
             
But I don't ex

            
pect everyone 

            
to see the wor

   
ld my way


[Verse 3]
             
Now the truth 

              
is hard to swa

     
llow it's hard

 to take
             
But I do beliе

             
ve we've brokе

              
n what we neve

             
r knew could b

reak
            
I'm just so di

             
sappointed in 

       
me and you
             
But we can't e

           
ven argue so w

            
hat else can w

e do


[Chorus]
   
So fill 'em up

 once again bo

ys

Fill 'em up an

d over the bri

m boys
             
There's whiske

             
y but the wate

             
r's done run d

ry
         
So we're drink

ing to the end
             
Of a long long

 
 friend
             
And the day th

             
e mighty Missi

       
ssippi died


[Interlude]
             
    


[Verse 4]
             
Now the other 

              
day I saw a li

     
ving picture t

orn from Hell
             
Taken down in 

             
Kensington a p

              
lace you all k

    
now well
            
I saw demons l

              
aughing, break

             
ing people jus

      
t for play
             
I cried at the

            
 table then I 

           
put my tears a

way


[Verse 5]
             
I dug my hands

              
 deep into the

 
 black Mother 

Earth
             
Tried to raise

             
 my spirits up

              
 for what it's

 
 worth
            
You laughed an

              
d said "Aw hon

             
ey, now what d

         
id you expect?

"
             
Not these tear

            
s and nightmar

              
e years where 

           
madness goes u

nchecked


[Chorus]

Oh fill 'em up

 once again bo

ys

Fill 'em up an

d over the bri

m boys
             
There's whiske

             
y but the wate

             
r's done run d

ry
         
So we're drink

ing to the end
             
Of a long long

 
 friend
             
And the day th

             
e mighty Missi

       
ssippi died
             
And the day th

             
e mighty Missi

       
ssippi died


[Verse 6]
             
My pony he did

             
 stumble and s

              
ent me to the 


sky
             
When the jury 

             
brought the ve

              
rdict it was t

             
he blue-tail f

ly
            
I'm thinking t

              
hat this melod

             
y has lasted l

     
ong enough
             
The subject's 

            
entertaining b

            
ut the rhymes 

           
are pretty rou

gh


[Out-Chorus]

So fill 'em up

 once again bo

ys

Fill 'em up an

d over the bri

m boys
             
There's whiske

             
y but the wate

             
r's done run d

ry
         
So we're drink

ing to the end
             
Of a long long

 
 friend
             
And the day th

             
e mighty Missi

       
ssippi died