ON A FRIDAY NIGHT
WHERE I GREW UP
THERE AIN'T A WHOLE LOT
YOU CAN DO
THE SAME OL' FACES
THE SAME OL' PLACES
AIN'T NOTHIN' EVER NEW
AFTER THE FOOTBALL
GAME
WE'D HANG AROUND
THE HIGH SCHOOL
PARKIN' 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 TWELFTH
OF EIGHTY-NINE
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 OL' RIVER
THAT BEAUTIFUL RIVER
THAT DAMN OL' RIVER