On a Friday night where I grew up There ain't a whole lot you can do The same ole' faces the same ole' places Ain't nothin' ever new After the football game we'd hang around The high school parking lot Then we'd pile into a couple of cars And head off to our favorite spot
Down to the river We went to the river
My Sophomore year was a carbon copy Of the ones that came before 'Til a night in late November That shook us all down to the core
We'd won the game by twenty points Couldn't wait to celebrate But our lead car was goin' way too fast They never even hit the breaks They went into the river Deep in the river
We buried Laurie Mabrey In the clothes that she'd been wearin' Her cheerleader outfit never looked So out of place
That sweater and that pleated skirt Of blue and white and crimson Just didn't belong in that shiny silver case
I moved here to Nashville On May 12th '89 And I started gettin' letters once a week From this friend of mine
I'd gone to school with Christine Thuro From kindergarten on She'd say hang in there 'cause I just know you're gonna be a star She and her boyfriend and a couple of kids I guess she met through him Set out for the Marais Des Cygne To try to cool off by takin' a swim
There'd been a lot of rain that summer And the current was too strong I heard that they did all they could But Christine she was gone
Into the river She died there in the river
I was baptized in that same water Gave my soul to Jesus How can such a peaceful place Be filled with so much pain
'Cause two young mothers lost their daughters Right there for no reason I swear I'll never go down there again
Back to the river That mean ole' river That beautiful river That damn ole' river That damn ole' river
