© 1988 Kathy Mar



I was sitting by a river when the thought occurred to me

There are a hundred thousand rivers that we never even see

They are the boundaries of all we know of truth and right and wrong

And I have written some examples for you here within my song

Some are bridged and some are forded, some are swollen from the rains

Some are the ultimate result of all our joy and all our pains

But when the rivers in your life are full and starting to wash down

You've got to drink up the river before you drown



Chorus: You've got to drink up the river,

             You've got to drink up the river,

                 You've got to drink up the river before you drown

         You've got to drink up the river,

             You've got to drink up the river,

                 You've got to drink up the river before you drown!



And through our nation's history, her times of peace and war

An overwhelming wave of misery has washed up on our shore

They did not ask for any fortune, just a corner and a plate

And how they shone with pride and honor as they made our country great

But migrants now are deportees, and more are turned away

We've forgotten it's the immigrants who made our fame today

Our salvation is that flood: white, yellow, red,& black & brown

We've got to drink up that river before we drown



         Chorus



We are surrounded by technology, a flood that's rising still

And we are praying we'll survive it or we're sure we never will

And all our speed and skill and reach will soon be taking us to space

It's a great day in the morning for our funny human race

But we're frightened of our future and we're scared to move along

So we scream that our technology is dangerous and wrong

Back-to-nature cannot save us but the stars could be our crown

If we can drink up this river before we drown



         Chorus



There's a river of humanity that's passing through your life

There is a sea of heavy sorrows and a stream of pain and strife

There is a river of tomorrow that will carry you away

And there's an ocean full of endless love to fill each passing day

There are rivers all around you in the life you have to live

All the rivers you've been given and the ones you have to give

So sing out this final message to the people all around

You've got to drink up the river before you drown



         Chorus