27 April 1927. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, Greenville, Mississippi. The river stage was at 46.8 feet. From: "The Floods of 1927 in the Mississippi Basin", Frankenfeld, H.C., 1927 Monthly Weather Review Supplement No. 29. Archival Photography by Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS
Kansas Joe McCoy, Memphis Minnie:
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break.
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break.
And the water gonna come in, have no place to stay.
Well all last night I sat on the levee and moan.
Well all last night I sat on the levee and moan.
Thinkin' 'bout my baby and my happy home.
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break.
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break.
And all these people have no place to stay.
Now look here mama what am I to do.
Now look here mama what am I to do.
I ain't got nobody to tell my troubles to.
I works on the levee mama both night and day.
I works on the levee mama both night and day.
I ain't got nobody, keep the water away.
Oh cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do no good.
Oh cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do no good.
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to lose.
I works on the levee, mama both night and day.
I works on the levee, mama both night and day.
I works so hard, to keep the water away.
I had a woman, she wouldn't do for me.
I had a woman, she wouldn't do for me.
I'm goin' back to my used to be.
I's a mean old levee, cause me to weep and moan.
I's a mean old levee, cause me to weep and moan.
Gonna leave my baby, and my happy home.
Version Led Zeppelin:
If it keeps on raining levee's going to break.
If it keeps on raining levee's going to break.
When the levee breaks have no place to stay.
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan.
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan.
It's got what it takes to make a Mountain Man leave his home.
Oh well, oh well, oh well.
Don't it make you feel bad?
When you're trying to find your way home you don't know which way to go?
When you're going down south and there's no work to do
And you're going on to Chicago.
Ah...
Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.
Now, crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to go. Oo!
All last night sat on the levee and moaned.
All last night sat on the levee and moaned.
Thinking about my baby and my happy home. Oh!
Ah...
Going - going to Chicago,
Going to Chicago.
Sorry, but I can't take you.
Going down - going down, now
Going down - going down, now
Going down...
Going down - going down, now
Going down - going down, now
Going down - going down, now
Going down
Going dow-, dow-, dow-, dow-, down, now