There was a crowd gathered down by the river
Where me and Benny Thompson used to play
I wondered if they had enough water
To wash ol' Lester Harper's sins away
I can hear Ms. Ida whisper
He's too lost to save

They was singing, it was raining it was frightening
Somethings are hard to understand when you're eight
I can still hear the thunder and see the lightning
When preacher Hayes raised his hands to pray
I could feel my body tremble, cause I was so afraid

They were down by the river
On that Lincoln County shore
Singing peace in the valley
And preaching up a storm

I was there but I could barely hear the sermon
I was scared and didn't dare to get up close
I could hear him tell that something was a burning
And then he shouted something about a ghost
And when they walked out in the water,
Sister Harper hollered "Please don't let him go".

They were down by the river
On that Lincoln County shore
Singing peace in the valley
And preaching up a storm