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La Belle Riviere
back in the days the old books describe
back in the days of the Indian tribes
they prayed to the river to forever flow
and the name that they give her was Ohio
they fished her clear waters
they camped on her hills
bathed at the shallows they drank at the rills
some Frenchmen they came scouting for game
gazed at that river and asked of her name
la Belle Riviere the Great Shining Water
Casquinampogamou le Fleuve du Saint Louis
no matter the name the meaning's the same
she's the Beautiful River the Ohio
the next to come in were the Kentuckians
the Buckeyes the Hoosiers
the Suckers and then
they bought off the Indians
they cut down the trees
for their barns
and their mills
for their factories
down by the cornfield she ran with the mud
down by the slaughterhouse
she flowed with blood
below the brewers she was covered with suds
in the spring of they year
she could not help but to flood
la Belle Riviere the Great Shining Water
Casquinampogamou le Fleuve du Saint Louis
no matter the name the meaning's the same
she's the Beautiful River the Ohio
the next to come in
were the government men
with their bankers and lawyers
their soldiers and then
they told the shantyfolk well you needn't fear
to let the river by dammed by our engineers
with a lock over here and a dock over there
bridges and trestles spanning the air
we'll build a pumphouse obove every town
bring the fresh water in
and let the sewage float down
la Belle Riviere the Great Shining Water
Casquinampogamou le Fleuve du Saint Louis
no matter the name the meaning's the same
she's the Beautiful River the Ohio
the last to come in
have been the industry men
investing their billions around every bend
reactors they spill refineries stink
yet it's pleasant to swim in
and healthful to drink
and I'm sitting here on the levee
wondering at this long history
I'm wondering at this river of fame
and if she ever again will live up to her name
la Belle Riviere the Great Shining Water
Casquinampogamou le Fleuve du Saint Louis
no matter the name the meaning's the same
she's the Beautiful River the Ohio