Merle Haggard Kern River Lyrics

Kern River Lyrics

Oh, I'll never swim Kern River again

It was there that I met her

It was there that I lost my best friend



And now I live in the mountains

I drifted up here with the wind

I may drown in the still water

But I'll never swim Kern River again



I grew up in an oil town

But my gusher never came in

And the river was a boundary

Where my darlin' and I used to swim



One night in the moonlight

The swiftness swept her life away

And now I live on Lake Shasta

And Lake Shasta is where I will stay



There's the great San Joaquin

Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found

And there's a place called Mount Whitney

From where the mighty Kern River comes down



But 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



Oh, I'll never swim Kern River again

It was there that I met her

It was there that I lost my best friend



And 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