On the banks of the river
We are gathered here
To give a little thanks thanks

The voice of the rapids will echo
And ricochet like an old water well
Who'd ever want to let go
Once you sit beneath its spell

It's dark and wide and deep
Towards the sea it creeps
I'm so glad I brought along my mandolin
To play the river hymn

You can ride on it or drink it
Poison it or damn it fish in it and wash in it
Swim in it and you can die in it
Run you river, run

Son, you ain't never seen yourself
No crystal mirror can show it clear come over here instead
Son, you ain't never eased yourself
Till you laid it down in a river bed

If you hear a lonesome drone
It's as common as a stone
And gets louder as the day grows dim
That's the river hymn

The whole congregation was standing
On the banks of the river
We are gathered here
To give a little thanks thanks