RED RIVER SHORE

Some of us turn off the lights and we lay

Up in the moonlight shooting by

Some of us scare ourselves to death in the dark

To be where the angels fly

Pretty maids all in a row lined up

Outside my cabin door

I’ve never wanted any of ’em wanting me

’Cept the girl from the Red River shore

Well I sat by her side and for a while I tried

To make that girl my wife

She gave me her best advice when she said

Go home and lead a quiet life

Well I been to the East and I been to the West

And I been out where the black winds roar

Somehow, though, I never did get that far

With the girl from the Red River shore

Well I knew when I first laid eyes on her

I could never be free

One look at her and I knew right away

She should always be with me

Well the dream dried up a long time ago

Don’t know where it is anymore

True to life, true to me

Was the girl from the Red River shore

Well I’m wearing the cloak of misery

And I’ve tasted jilted love

And the frozen smile upon my face

Fits me like a glove

But I can’t escape from the memory

Of the one that I’ll always adore

All those nights when I lay in the arms

Of the girl from the Red River shore

Well we’re livin’ in the shadows of a fading past

Trapped in the fires of time

I tried not to ever hurt anybody

And to stay out of a life of crime

And when it’s all been said and done

I never did know the score

One more day is another day away

From the girl from the Red River shore

Well I’m a stranger here in a strange land

But I know this is where I belong

I ramble and gamble for the one I love

And the hills will give me a song

Though nothing looks familiar to me

I know I’ve stayed here before

Once a thousand nights ago

With the girl from the Red River shore

Well I went back to see about her once

Went back to straighten it out

Everybody that I talked to had seen us there

Said they didn’t know who I was talkin’ about

Well the sun went down a long time ago

And doesn’t seem to shine anymore

I wish I could have spent every hour of my life

With the girl from the Red River shore

Now I heard of a guy who lived a long time ago

A man full of sorrow and strife

That if someone around him died and was dead

He knew how to bring him on back to life

Well I don’t know what kind of language he used

Or if they do that kind of thing anymore

Sometimes I think nobody ever saw me here at all

’Cept the girl from the Red River shore



	RED RIVER SHORE Some of us turn off the lights and we lay Up in the moonlight shooting by Some of us scare ourselves to death in the dark To be where the angels fly Pretty maids all in a row lined up Outside my cabin door I’ve never wanted any of ’em wanting me ’Cept the girl from the Red River shore Well I sat by her side and for a while I tried To make that girl my wife She gave me her best advice when she said Go home and lead a quiet life Well I been to the East and I been to the West And I been out where the black winds roar Somehow, though, I never did get that far With the girl from the Red River shore Well I knew when I first laid eyes on her I could never be free One look at her and I knew right away She should always be with me Well the dream dried up a long time ago Don’t know where it is anymore True to life, true to me Was the girl from the Red River shore Well I’m wearing the cloak of misery And I’ve tasted jilted love And the frozen smile upon my face Fits me like a glove But I can’t escape from the memory Of the one that I’ll always adore All those nights when I lay in the arms Of the girl from the Red River shore Well we’re livin’ in the shadows of a fading past Trapped in the fires of time I tried not to ever hurt anybody And to stay out of a life of crime And when it’s all been said and done I never did know the score One more day is another day away From the girl from the Red River shore Well I’m a stranger here in a strange land But I know this is where I belong I ramble and gamble for the one I love And the hills will give me a song Though nothing looks familiar to me I know I’ve stayed here before Once a thousand nights ago With the girl from the Red River shore Well I went back to see about her once Went back to straighten it out Everybody that I talked to had seen us there Said they didn’t know who I was talkin’ about Well the sun went down a long time ago And doesn’t seem to shine anymore I wish I could have spent every hour of my life With the girl from the Red River shore Now I heard of a guy who lived a long time ago A man full of sorrow and strife That if someone around him died and was dead He knew how to bring him on back to life Well I don’t know what kind of language he used Or if they do that kind of thing anymore Sometimes I think nobody ever saw me here at all ’Cept the girl from the Red River shore
PERFORMANCES no live performances yet In October 2008 "RED RIVER SHORE" was included as track number five on disc one as well as track seven on disc three of "The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006" In January 2023 two more versions of "RED RIVER SHORE" were included as track number three on disc two as well as track four on disc three of "The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17 - Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions, 1996-1997" [This set also included again the earlier released versions, as tracks two and three on disc five of The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17]