Lyrics

Five rivers fall down off the mountain,
They meet up at the north end of town,
There’s just the one traffic light, you go straight or turn right,
Depending on where you’re bound,
Not long ago most men here dug coal,
In strip mines or deep underground,
Now the mines are all gone, but still they keep on,
Just living this Cheat River waltz.

Twas ‘85 early November,
The Blackwater and Shavers forks rose,
Swept through the town, tore a lot of it down,
And carried it off in the flow,
Now some moved away, but the stronger ones stayed,
To rebuild their lives and their homes,
In this small river town clinging to the high ground,
Just living this Cheat River waltz.

Oh this river it flows like the heartbeat,
Of a life lived honest and true,
Folks simple and kind with this river entwined,
That touches all that they do.

Sometimes at night ‘long the river,
A fine mist rises up through the trees,
All their hopes and their dreams and all they believe,
Just carried along on the breeze,
Through these hollers and creeks and these quiet brick streets,
In this place where five rivers come down,
Day after day they work and they pray,
Just living this Cheat River waltz.

Just living this Cheat River waltz,
Living this Cheat River waltz.