Written by: Johnny Cash
Performed by: Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash & Kris Kristofferson
Appears on: Highwayman-1985 & 2004, The Highwayman Collection-2000, et al.

[Nelson:]
I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.
Aku mengajarkan willow yang merana bagaimana cara menangis, menangis, menangis.

[Kristofferson:]
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
Dan aku menunjukkan pada awan bagaimana menutupi langit biru yang cerah.

[Jennings:]
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river.
Dan air mata yang kutumpahkan untuk wanita itu akan membanjirimu, sungai besar.

[Cash:]
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.
Dan aku akan duduk di sini sampai aku mati.

[Nelson:]
I met her accidentally in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Aku bertemu dia secara tidak sengaja di St. Paul, Minnesota.

And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, southern drawl.
Dan itu menghancurkanku setiap kali aku mendengar logatnya, logat selatan.

And I heard my dream, Went back downstream, cavortin' in Davenport,
Dan aku mendengar mimpiku, kembali mengalir ke hilir, bersenang-senang di Davenport,

And I followed you, big river, when she called.
Dan aku mengikutimu, sungai besar, saat dia memanggil.

[Instrumental break.]

[Kristofferson:]
Oh, she took me to St. Louie later on, down the river.
Oh, dia membawaku ke St. Louie kemudian, menyusuri sungai.

Freighter said, "She's been here, but she's gone, boy, she's gone."
Kapal barang bilang, "Dia sudah di sini, tapi dia pergi, nak, dia pergi."

And I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the club.
Dan aku menemukan jejaknya di Memphis, tapi dia hanya masuk ke klub.

Raised a few eyebrows and went on down alone.
Membuat beberapa orang terkejut dan melanjutkan perjalanan sendirian.

[Jennings:]
Well, I pulled into Natches next day down river,
Nah, aku tiba di Natches keesokan harinya menyusuri sungai,

But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long.
Tapi tidak ada banyak hal di sana untuk membuat para pengembara bertahan lama.

When I left it was rainin' so nobody saw me cry.
Saat aku pergi, hujan turun jadi tidak ada yang melihatku menangis.

Big river, why she doin' me this way?
Sungai besar, kenapa dia memperlakukanku begini?

[Instrumental break.]

[Cash:]
Now, won't you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.
Sekarang, maukah kau berlayar di Baton Rouge, Ratu Sungai, teruslah mengalir.

Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Bawa wanita itu ke New Orleans, New Orleans.

Go on, I've had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf.
Ayo, aku sudah cukup, buang kesedihanku ke teluk.

She loves you, big river, more than me.
Dia mencintaimu, sungai besar, lebih dari aku.

[Nelson:]
I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry.
Aku mengajarkan willow yang merana bagaimana cara menangis, menangis, menangis.

[Kristofferson:]
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
Dan aku menunjukkan pada awan bagaimana menutupi langit biru yang cerah.

[Jennings:]
And the tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you, big river.
Dan air mata yang kutumpahkan untuk wanita itu akan membanjirimu, sungai besar.

[Cash:]
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die.
Dan aku akan duduk di sini sampai aku mati.