The Wild Rippling Water Songtext
von Alan Lomax

As I went a walkin′ and a ramblin' one day
I met a fair couple making their way
And one was a lady and a fair one was she
And the other was a cowboy, and a brave one was he
And the other was a cowboy, and a brave one was he

Where are you going, my pretty, fair maid?
Just down by the river, just down by the shade
Just down by the river, just down by the spring
See the wild rippling water, hear the nightingale sing
See the wild rippling water, hear the nightingale sing

They hadn′t been there but an hour or so
Til out of his satchel drew fiddle and bow
He played a tune that made the woods ring
She said, "Hark Hark, hear the nightingale sing"
She said, "Hark Hark, hear the nightingale sing"


She said, "Dear cowboy, would you marry me?"
"Oh no, my little maiden, that never can be
I have a wife in Arizona and a lady is she
One wife on a cow ranch is a'plenty for me
One wife on a cow ranch is a'plenty for me."

I′m going out to Mexico, I′ll step out of here
I'll drink red wine, I′ll drink lots of beer
If I ever return it will be in the spring
To see waters glide and hear nightingales sing
To see the waters glide hear the nightingale sing

I'm going out to Mexico, I′ll step out of here
I'll drink red wine, I′ll drink lots of beer
If I ever return it will be in the spring
To see waters glide and hear nightingales sing
To see the glide hear and hear nightingales sing

Come all you young ladies, take a warning by me
Don't waste your affection in a cowboy so free
He'll go and leave you, like mine did me
Leave you to rock cradles, sing bye oh baby
Leave you to rock cradles, sing bye oh baby