Kern River

I'll never swim Kern River again,

It was there that I met him,

There that I lost my best friend.

Now I live in the mountains

I drifted up here with the wind.

And I may drown in still water,

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

He grew up in an oil town

But that gusher never came in.

And the river was a boundary

Where my darling and I used to swim.

One night in the moonlight,

The swiftness swept his life away.

Now I live on Lake Shasta,

And Lake Shasta is where I will stay.

There's the South San Joaquin

Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found.

And theres a place called Mt. Whitney

From where the mighty Kern River comes down.

Now it's not deep nor wide,

But it's a mean piece of water my friend.

And I may cross on the highway,

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

I'll never swim Kern River again,

It was there that I met him.

There that I lost my best friend.

Now I live in the mountains,

I drifted up here with the wind.

I may drown in still water,

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

I'll never swim Kern River again,

It was there that I met him,

There that I lost my best friend.

Now I live in the mountains

I drifted up here with the wind.

And I may cross on the highway,

But I'll never swim Kern River again.

No, I'll never swim Kern River again