City life was getting us down, so we spent a weekend out of town
Pitched our tents on a patch of ground down by the river
Lit a fire and drank some wine, you put your jeans on top of mine
I said: Come in...The water's fine, down by the river

Down by the river, down by the river
Said: Come in, the water's fine, down by the river

Didn't feel too good all night, so we took a walk in the morning light
And came across the strangest sight down by the river
Silver fish lay on its side, it was washed up by the early tide
I wonder how it died? Down by the river

Down by the river, down by the river
A silver fish lay on its side, down by the river

The doctor put us both to bed. He dosed us up and he shook his head
"Only foolish people go", he said, "down by the river"
"The mighty willows weep", said he, "because they're dying gradually
From the waste from the factories, down by the river"

Down by the river, down by the river
The mighty willows weep, said he, down by the river

And in time the riverbanks will die, the reeds will wilt and the ducks won't fly
There'll be a tear in the otter's eye, down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead, and where the otter raised his head
Will be a clean, white skull instead, down by the river

Down by the river, down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead, down by the river

Down by the river, down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead, down by the river