Were you raised by the river,
Down in the low, low land,
Where the air is dark and sinister,
In the night there's no safe place to stand.
In the reeds there are eyes that peek,
Voices I can't understand,
Flamingos flying endlessly,
Into the silent sky.

Daughter of the everglades,
You never made it clear,
Daughter of the everglades,
If you want me to be here,
Child of the river,
I never saw your tears.

Well you looked like your mama,
Before you walked, you swam,
Learned to make that snake tail stew,
From your daddy,
Crazy talking fisherman.

In this place there is no law,
The river makes all the rules,
What they are, I found out,
When I came to look for you.

Daughter of the everglades,
Why did you bring me here?
Daughter of the everglades,
My love has turned to fear,
Child of the river,
Let me feel you near.

Well you laughed in the city,
But I knew after a year,
That you'd cry in the city,
I should not have brought you here,
So far from the bayou,
Down in the low, low land,
Don't know why you left me,
But now I think I understand.

Take me back to the river,
Down in the smokey ground,
When snakes crawl you don't cheat,
By the river you live for now,
In the swell of the river,
Where the boat sails by some cloud,
I should have gone there with you,
But now they tell me you have drowned.

Daughter of the everglades,
I could feel you near,
Daughter of the everglades,
I know I'll find you here,
Child of the river,
I can't see for tears.

Daughter of the everglades,
I want to feel you near,
Daughter of the everglades,
I must find you here,
Child of the river,
I can't see my tea