Come listen, good people, wherever you are And hear a sad story you've been waiting for About the flood of '57 as it happened to be In Kentucky, old Virginia and East Tennessee How the rains came down, and we often had seen To swim a broad river or some little stream But this one was different and we soon realized That the floods were raging and we fought for our lives Many were afraid as never before As the high muddy water came in through their door Some were left homeless, their life savings gone But their lives had been spared and the cold rains came on Little babies were crying and others were sad For in all our lives we'd seen nothing so bad But the brave and the strong were there by the score To help the sick and needy to safety on the shore How we all escaped it, I never will know It must've been God's will, it was not time to go And by the help of His mercy, some managed to smile And pa** the disaster while the waters run wild