The River Driver

Great Big Sea · The Hard & The Easy [1998]

I was just the age of sixteen when I first went on the drive,

After six months hard labor, at home I did arrive.

I courted with a pretty girl, t'was her caused me to roam,

Now I'm just a river driver and I'm far away from home.



I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry,

Get drunk whenever I'm ready, get sober by and by,

And if this river don't drown me, it's down I'll mean to roam,

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.



I'll build a lonesome castle upon some mountain high,

Where she can sit and view me as I go passing by

Where she can sit and view me as I go marching on,

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.



I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry,

Get drunk whenever I'm ready, get sober by and by,

And if this river don't drown me, it's down I'll mean to roam,

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.



When I am old and feeble and in my sickness lie,

Just wrap me up in a blanket and lay me down to die

Just get a little bluebird to sing for me alone,

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.



I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry,

Get drunk whenever I'm ready, get sober by and by,

And if this river don't drown me, it's down I'll mean to roam,

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.



I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry,

Get drunk whenever I'm ready, get sober by and by,

And if this river don't drown me, it's down I'll mean to roam,

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.

For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.

The River Driver

Great Big Sea's "The River Driver" stands as a defining track from their 1998 album, The Hard & The Easy. Released during the height of the UK indie revival, the song encapsulates the band's signature blend of folk-rock and acoustic pop. With its driving rhythm and emotive vocals, the recording captures the essence of a generation of musicians reinvigorating traditional songwriting structures. The track remains a staple of their discography, often cited alongside contemporaries like "French Shore" as a key example of their early success. It reflects the era's broader shift toward organic instrumentation and lyrical introspection, cementing Great Big Sea's reputation as a pivotal force in modern British music.