Cuayahoga Canal

The canal still saw some use, though

Bank robbers, slaves, criminals

And others seeking refuge in the north

Followed the abandoned waterways

Some found refuge

And others died along the way

According to one ghost story

A young girl from the south who had run away

From an abusive family followed

A system of locks northbound

She made it as far as Akron

Where she drowned herself in the water

Out of of frustration

She supposedly still haunts the area

And can be heard sobbing

Outside the Civic Theater on some nights

Spoooky!

When you commit unforgivable crimes

There is a house in which to hide

At this house, there are guns inside

If you begin to starve, I will feed you well

If you cannot read, I will gladly help

If you need some sleep, you can rest a spell

But there's no swimming in the old canal

In those polluted waters where the best of men drown

There's no swimming in the Cuyahoga Canal

If you build a boat, you can sail up north

You may find freedom past the Canadian border

But your presence here is unwelcome, in the name of law and order