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