The River Won't Flow

Brown Jason Robert

I left my home at fifteen 
I wore this very same coat 
My mama said, "Son, if you stay on this path,
You'll find a river full of money where the rich fish flow"
I said, "I'll catch me them fish"
And I've searched low and searched high 
Well, I've seen more water than Columbus had seen 
I found me this lake that was greener than green 
I said, "Mama, I know this is what you mean"
But when I bent for a sip, the river ran dry 
The river won't flow for me no no no 
The river won't flow for me no no no no 
I live my life on the up and up 
And this is where I was meant to be 
But the river don't 
The river won't 
Flow for me 
I never had me no house 
I never had me no phone 
I never had much that I didn't have to go 
And fight for the right to call it my own 
I don't expect any help 
I don't expect nothing free 
It's not about being any righteous man 
It's not about God and the master plan 
It's not about doing the best I can 
No, this corner was where I was meant to be 
Cause the river won't flow for me no no no 
The river won't flow for me no no no no 
It's just one of the little lessons 
That I learned on my Mama's knee 
The river don't 
The river won't 
Flow for me 
It's all luck,
It's just luck 
There's no way you can rig the game because 
It's all luck,
It's just luck 
The sinner and the saint could wind up the same cause 
It's all luck,
It's just luck 
That decides between the noose and the knife 
It's all luck,
It's just luck 
When you're begging to switch 
With some rich son-of-a-bitch 
Who ain't never done nothing to deserve that life 
It seems so easy to run 
Until there's nowhere to go 
You never get much for the dues you pay 
You never go far on the easy way 
There isn't much choice 
But to kneel and pray 
For the river, the river, the river 
To flow, flow, flow, flow, flow 
Flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow 
Flow 
But the river won't flow for you no no no 
The river won't flow for you no no no no 
You gotta live how you gotta live 
You gotta do what you gotta do 
Cause the river 
The river don't 
The river won't 
The river can't 
Ain't never ever gonna flow for you 
Never gonna flow for you 
Never gonna flow for you 
Never gonna flow for you