 Crossing Muddy Waters (2000) [ larger cover art ] |
Share this song
Tweet this song
Wikipedia search
Musicbrainz DB;){kind=link}
My baby's gone and I don't know why
She let out this morning
Like a rusty shot in a hollow sky
Left me without warning
Sooner than the dogs could bark
and faster than the sun rose
Down to the banks in an old mule car
she took a flatboat across the shallow
Left me in my tears to drown
she left a baby daughter
Now the water's wide and deep and brown
She's crossing muddy waters
Tobacco standing in the fields
be rotten come November
And a bitter heart will not reveal
a spring that love remembers
When that sweet brown girl of mine
her black eyes are ravens
We broke the bread and drank the wine
from a jug that she'd been saving
Left me in my tears to drown
she left a baby daughter
Now the water's wide and deep and brown
She's crossing muddy waters
Baby's crying and the daylight's gone
That big oak tree is groaning
In rush of wind and river of song
I can hear my sweetheart moaning
Crying for her baby child
or crying for her husband
Crying for that river's wild
to take her from her loved ones
Left me in my tears to drown
she left a baby daughter
Now the water's wide and deep and brown
She's crossing muddy waters
Left me in my tears to drown
she left a baby daughter
Now the water's wide and deep and brown
She's crossing muddy waters
| idiot_wind | Posted: Oct 23, 2012 - 07:00 I saw JH with Sonny Landreth around 2003. A smoking show. |
| BluEyes | Posted: Aug 05, 2012 - 17:04 Cynaera wrote: With very few exceptions, John Hiatt is my favorite artist. Saw him at the LB Day Amphitheatre in Salem, Oregon, and he played opposite Robert Cray and the late Stevie Ray Vaughn (who did a breathtaking set - RIP, Mr. Vaughn. Hold that guitar close, because you'll want it when you come back.) No matter what people say about JH - he's in my pocket. "Slow Turning," "Your Dad Did," "Drive South," "Memphis In the Meantime"... I'm learning not to be so critical of a vocal, or a weird guitar part. If the music as a whole moves me, I'm just cuddly with joy. And John Hiatt makes me cuddly with joy. Listen to "Your Dad Did" - especially if you have children, but even if you don't, you'll laugh at the lyrics, and might even relate to them. God - good and bad, I just LOVE RadioParadise!    |
| elgreenie1 (SE of US of A) | Posted: Jun 03, 2012 - 10:42 Jazbo wrote: So sad, so moving and beautiful..... so 9. Perfectly sharing my opinion and feelings. And the mandolin is of shimmering beauty. |
| meinthecorner (Past the gravy, far beyond the golden fries) | Posted: Apr 16, 2012 - 20:04 Byronape wrote: Don't cross Muddy Waters. Buy a shirt. Precious! And, I don't think John would even think of it. Then again, maybe he did! |
| Byronape ("post-capitalist wreckageville") | Posted: Mar 31, 2012 - 23:58 Don't cross Muddy Waters. Buy a shirt. |
| Propayne (Richmond VA) | Posted: Feb 29, 2012 - 07:51 Bonnie Raitt has covered Mr. Hiatt's songs. When I saw him perform live once, he thanked Bonnie and after saying this one put his kids thru college he launched into "Thing Called Love". |
| Racquel | Posted: Feb 29, 2012 - 07:38 Isn't he Bonnie whtsinsname's partner? (My name is Bonnie too).  |
| Propayne (Richmond VA) | Posted: Feb 29, 2012 - 07:37 Love it. Beautiful. |
| DanO-1 (Sandia Park, New Mexico) | Posted: Feb 29, 2012 - 07:37 Sad song but 9+ |
| lexica (Oaktown, 510) | Posted: Dec 27, 2011 - 20:54 This song following Mary Gauthier's "Mercy Now"? GO FOR THE HEARTSTRINGS WHY DONTCHA BILL???  |
| Maupie (Velp (gld), the Netherlands) | Posted: Oct 25, 2011 - 12:41 10  11 |
| dcoy (Flagstaff, Arizona) | Posted: Sep 08, 2011 - 03:54 Seems that his voice is much more musical here than it is in most of his other works. |
| a_genuine_find (not me, Radio P) (3rd stone, sol, orion belt, milkyway) | Posted: Aug 07, 2011 - 18:52 7  8 |
| Jazbo (Beautiful Valparaiso IN.) | Posted: Jul 07, 2011 - 10:01 So sad, so moving and beautiful..... so 9. |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Jun 05, 2011 - 18:48 Stingray wrote: Does anybody know a single hookline from him? Put the cow horns back on the Cadillac and change the message on the code-a-phone... Just when you think you've got it whipped, the bearded lady comes and does a double-back flip... Now, there's only two things in life, but I forget what they are... And yeah, my favorite one also: Help the starving people to get well - But let my brother's hamster burn in hell. |
| Businessgypsy (Deepest, Darkest Florida) | Posted: Jun 05, 2011 - 18:47 So rare that such a great writer performs his own material. What a treasure. |
| Carl (The Summit City) | Posted: Jun 05, 2011 - 18:46 Like this more as I hear it — now, along with "Cry Love," my fav JH song. Thanks RP for introducing me. |
| nmgridl | Posted: Feb 15, 2011 - 10:34 Saw JH & Lyle Lovett together last weekend - their acoustic tour, alternating whose song. Though I'm more of a LL fan, Hiatt's guitar playing was excellent. And their relaxed bantering made for a very enjoyable evening. I found myself wondering 'could it really have been 21 years since "Thing Called Love" came out'. |
| unclemrbig | Posted: Feb 15, 2011 - 10:25 Big Hiatt fan, big budget meeting in an hour. I will ignore the lyrics and consider this a good sign and not a bad omen! |
| Propayne (Richmond VA) | Posted: Feb 15, 2011 - 10:25 Terrific album and terrific song. Love the chorus. |
| jkhandy (Near the ocean (in my mind)) | Posted: Jan 30, 2011 - 19:04 Jeff09 wrote: It's sort of sad to read the comments of people who have no sense of connection to our own actual culture's deep folk and blues traditions and their modern spinoffs. This song and album are so good. Stretch people...there's so much out there. Amen brother! |
| Jeff09 (Gainesville, Florida) | Posted: Dec 14, 2010 - 17:45 It's sort of sad to read the comments of people who have no sense of connection to our own actual culture's deep folk and blues traditions and their modern spinoffs. This song and album are so good. Stretch people...there's so much out there. |
| h8rhater | Posted: Sep 10, 2010 - 12:44 jasonv wrote: this is painful to me Pain is gain, pal. Quit your cryin'. |
| jasonv | Posted: Sep 10, 2010 - 12:29 this is painful to me |
| oufason | Posted: Sep 10, 2010 - 12:28 Propayne wrote: My all time favorite: "But let my brother's hamster burn in hell" or "Put the cow horns back on the Cadilac and change the message on the code a phone" |
| katiediddler (one of the dominoes, hopefully near the back) | Posted: Sep 10, 2010 - 12:28 goosebumps |
| DanO-1 (Sandia Park, New Mexico) | Posted: Aug 25, 2010 - 09:43 Saw JH play this in ABQ a few weeks ago opening for Los Lobos. Hiatt was on top of his game and this song was quite moving. |
| Propayne (Richmond VA) | Posted: Jul 08, 2010 - 15:06 dmax wrote: If YOU don't know these lines then you're the one that's missing something. Off the top of my head, no research: He's sad, but he ain't sorry; it's just the wreck of the Barbie Ferrari. Would you like a beer with your TV dinner? You may already be a winner. She said the same things to me Don't you know we're riding with the King? Are you ready for a thing called love? Don't come from me and you it comes from up above. You love your wife and kids...Just like your dad did. It breaks my heart to see those stars / smash a perfectly good guitar Though she knows it'll never work - She loves the jerk... My all time favorite: "But let my brother's hamster burn in hell" |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: May 21, 2010 - 17:24 With very few exceptions, John Hiatt is my favorite artist. Saw him at the LB Day Amphitheatre in Salem, Oregon, and he played opposite Robert Cray and the late Stevie Ray Vaughn (who did a breathtaking set - RIP, Mr. Vaughn. Hold that guitar close, because you'll want it when you come back.) No matter what people say about JH - he's in my pocket. "Slow Turning," "Your Dad Did," "Drive South," "Memphis In the Meantime"... I'm learning not to be so critical of a vocal, or a weird guitar part. If the music as a whole moves me, I'm just cuddly with joy. And John Hiatt makes me cuddly with joy. Listen to "Your Dad Did" - especially if you have children, but even if you don't, you'll laugh at the lyrics, and might even relate to them. God - good and bad, I just LOVE RadioParadise! |
| (former member) | Posted: May 21, 2010 - 17:14 Stingray wrote: Does anybody know a single hookline from him? If YOU don't know these lines then you're the one that's missing something. Off the top of my head, no research: He's sad, but he ain't sorry; it's just the wreck of the Barbie Ferrari. Would you like a beer with your TV dinner? You may already be a winner. She said the same things to me Don't you know we're riding with the King? Are you ready for a thing called love? Don't come from me and you it comes from up above. You love your wife and kids...Just like your dad did. It breaks my heart to see those stars / smash a perfectly good guitar Though she knows it'll never work - She loves the jerk... |
| Propayne (Richmond VA) | Posted: May 21, 2010 - 17:08 Excellent song. Love the chorus. |
| cosmiclint (Vancouver BC) | Posted: Apr 04, 2010 - 09:03 Bill is playing my favorite "Sunday morning set." One of the benefits of being in the same time zone as RP : ) |
| nate917 (2,815 miles from home) | Posted: Apr 04, 2010 - 09:02 Stingray wrote: Does anybody know a single hookline from him? Listen to Little Village's "Solar Sex Panel" and get back to me. |
| sirdroseph (Outer Mongolia) | Posted: Mar 19, 2010 - 09:35 Prolly my favorite John Hiatt tune!  |
| Businessgypsy (Deepest, Darkest Florida) | Posted: Jan 31, 2010 - 06:33 Stingray wrote: Does anybody know a single hookline from him? C'mon - you're trolling, right? John Hiatt writes beautiful impressionist lyrics that paint huge wonderful images. Hooklines are for pop songs. |
| BluEyes | Posted: Dec 30, 2009 - 19:40 "Sorrow floats..." words borrowed by John Irving ~The Hotel New Hampshire~ |
| bindi (North Carolina) | Posted: Dec 30, 2009 - 19:39 This is soooo good. . . . .I don't know why I don't think of John H. when I walk into a CD store. |
| cosmiclint (Vancouver BC) | Posted: Nov 29, 2009 - 10:38 Why haven't I got this album yet:? |
| RParadise (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY) | Posted: Nov 13, 2009 - 14:35 Stingray wrote: Why John Hiatt always, truely always-always stops short Not that he's bad, certainly not - just.... he can't cross that muddy water. I couldn't disagree with you more. I find this song heartbreaking to listen to. Production of "memorable hooklines", as you put it, is not the mark of an artist, but the mark of a superior craftsman. I have great respect for superior songcraft (see my other posts here), but that's something else entirely. This song bleeds all over the floor as far as I'm concerned. (And I mean that in a good way.) |
| Stingray (Cologne) | Posted: Nov 13, 2009 - 13:41 Why John Hiatt always, truely always-always stops short Not that he's bad, certainly not - just.... he can't cross that muddy water. |
| BluEyes | Posted: Sep 27, 2009 - 11:33 My baby's gone and I don't know why She let out this morning Like a rusty shot in a hollow sky She left me without warning Sooner than the dogs could bark and faster than the sun rose Down to the banks on an old mule cart she took a flatboat across the shallow CHORUS: Tobacco standing in the fields CHORUS Baby's crying and the daylight's gone CHORUS TWICE |
| lily34 (lexvegas) | Posted: Sep 11, 2009 - 12:59 i love this. |
| GINRUSH (Rochester, MI) | Posted: Jul 10, 2009 - 09:06 How could anyone piss him off??  |
| annersjen (in the rolling hills of New York) | Posted: May 23, 2009 - 21:29 lmic wrote: The final stanza is confusing - does she die after she leaves him? Hiatt's first wife committed suicide by drowning herself, leaving him and their baby daughter. I'm almost positive I learned that from an interview with him, a long time ago. |
| a_genuine_find (not me, Radio Paradise) | Posted: May 23, 2009 - 21:28  |
| kaybee (Lost in the Wilds of Toronto) | Posted: Apr 06, 2009 - 15:44 Not a big fan of Hyatt, being more respectful than enjoying, but this piece is quite nice. |
| denmom (Connecticut) | Posted: Apr 06, 2009 - 07:31 annersjen wrote: Sadly, the song is autobiographical, although from many years prior to its release Oh....? |
| cayenne (in over my head) | Posted: Jan 17, 2009 - 10:56 lmic wrote: The final stanza is confusing - does she die after she leaves him? I've always interpreted this song to mean that she died suddenly, not left him voluntarily. |
| lmic (Sacramento, CA) | Posted: Jan 01, 2009 - 14:14 annersjen wrote: Sadly, the song is autobiographical, although from many years prior to its release The final stanza is confusing - does she die after she leaves him? |
| cosmiclint (Vancouver BC) | Posted: Jan 01, 2009 - 14:10 This just made my day :-) |