When it rains five days and the skies
turn dark as night
When it rains five days and the skies
turn dark as night
Then trouble's takin' place in the
lowlands at night

I woke up this mornin', can't even
get out of my door
I woke up this mornin', can't even
get out of my door
There's been enough trouble to make
a poor girl wonder where she want to go

Then they rowed a little boat about
five miles 'cross the pond
Then they rowed a little boat about
five miles 'cross the pond
I packed all my clothes, throwed
them in and they rowed me along

When it thunders and lightnin' and
when the wind begins to blow
When it thunders and lightnin' and
the wind begins to blow
There's thousands of people
ain't got no place to go

Then I went and stood upon
some high old lonesome hill
Then I went and stood upon
some high old lonesome hill
Then looked down on the house
were I used to live

Backwater blues done call me
to pack my things and go
Backwater blues done call me
to pack my things and go
'Cause my house fell down
and I can't live there no more