From the ^Cfountains in the mountains comes the ^Gwater running cool and clear and ^Cblue. And it ^Ccomes down from the hills and it ^Ggoes down to the towns and passes ^Cthrough.

When it ^Fgets down to the cities, then the water turns into a dirty ^Cgray. It's ^Cpoisoned and polluted by the ^Gpeople as it goes along its ^Cway.

^FDon't go near the water children, see the fish all dead upon the ^Cshore. ^FDon't go near the water, cause the ^Cwater isn't ^Gwater any-^Cmore.

I took my boy fishin' to my old favorite fishin' hole. I had caught many a fish out of that deep, clear water, From the time I was a boy like him. After we'd fished a few minutes, he said: "Did you get a bite yet daddy?" I said: "I think I got a nibble son." "Me too", he said. Then he said: "Daddy if we catch a fish can we eat it?" I said: "Well there was a time son. This water's bad now and I might not be safe to eat the fish, but there was a time."

There ^Cwas a time the air was clean and ^Gyou could see forever cross the ^Cplains. The ^Cwind was sweet as honey and no ^Gone had ever heard of acid ^Crain.

We're ^Ftorturin' the earth and pourin' every kind of evil in the ^Csea. We ^Cviolated nature and our ^Gchildren have to pay the penal-^Cty.

^FDon't go near the water children, see the fish all dead upon the ^Cshore. ^FDon't go near the water, cause the ^Cwater isn't ^Gwater any-^Cmore.

Johnny Cash - Dont go near the water