Don't Go Near The Water 
By Johnny Cash
« © '74 House Of Cash »
Tabbed by Larry Mofle
rmofle at satx.rr.com
10/8/2005

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From the fountains in the mountains comes the water running cool and clear and blue
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And it flows down from the hills and it goes down to the towns and passes through
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When it gets down to the cities then the water turns into a dirty grey
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It's poisoned and polluted by the people as it goes along its way

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Don't go near the water children see the fish all dead upon the shore
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Don't go near the water cause the water isn't water anymore



I took my boy fishin' to my old favorite fishin' hole
I had caught many a fish out of that deep clear water
From the time I was a boy like him
After we'd fished a few minutes he said did you get a bite yet daddy
I said I think I got a nibble son
Me too he said
Then he said daddy if we catch a fish can we eat him
I said well there was a time son
This water's bad now and I might not be safe to eat the fish but there was a time



There was a time the air was clean and you could see forever cross the plains
The wind was sweet as honey and no one had ever heard of acid rain
We're torturin' the earth and pourin' every kind of evil in the sea
We violated nature and our children have to pay the penalty

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Don't go near the water children see the fish all dead upon the shore
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Don't go near the water cause the water isn't water anymore