Wide River + 

Ma baby lives across de river + 

An’ I ain’t got no boat. + 

She lives across de river, + 

I ain’t got no boat. + 

I ain’t a good swimmer + 

An’ I don’t know how to float. + 

Wide, wide river + 

’Tween ma love an’ me. + 

Wide, wide river + 

’Tween ma love an’ me. + 

I never knowed how + 

Wide a river can be. + 

Got to cross that river + 

An’ git to ma baby somehow. + 

Cross that river, + 

Git to ma baby somehow, + 

Cause if I don’t see ma baby + 

I’ll lay down an’ die right now. + 