My mother came to Hazard when I was just seven
Even then the folks in town said with prejudiced eyes
That boy's not right ...

Three years ago when I came to know Mary
First time that someone looked beyond the rumours and the lies
And saw the man inside ...

We used to walk down by the river
She loved to watch the sun go down
We used to walk along the river
And dream our way out of this town ...

No one understood what I felt for Mary
No one cared until the night she went out walking alone
And never came home ...
Man with a badge came knocking next morning
Here was I surrounded by a thousand fingers suddenly
Pointed right at me ...

I swear I left her by the river
I swear I left her safe and sound
I need to make it to the river
And leave this old Nebraska town

I think about my life gone by
And how it's done me wrong
There's no escape for me this time
All of my rescues are gone, long gone

I swear I left her by the river
I swear I left her safe and sound
I need to make it to the river
And leave this old Nebraska town ...

翻譯如下：

　　早在我七歲那年，
媽媽就開始覺出危險。
那個時候，鎮上居民的目光帶着偏見，
他們說：“離這孩子遠點”。

　　三年前，
瑪麗在我的生活中出現，
第一次有人看到我真實的內心，
透過謠傳和謊言。

　　我們曾經沿着那條小河順流而下，
她最愛看夕陽映紅天邊。
　　我們喜歡沿着河邊散步，
夢想着看到小鎮外面世界的那天。

　　我對瑪麗的感情，
沒有人能明白，
也沒有人在乎----直到那個夜裡她孤零零出去，
再也沒有回來。

　　次日清晨警官敲開我的房門，
剎時間我又一次陷入蜚語流言，
被人們指指點點，
指指點點。。。。。。

　　我發誓我們已在河岸分別，
我發誓分別時她清白無恙。
讓我最後一次回到河邊吧，
然後離開這古老的小town。

　　回想起過往的日子啊，
我受到過多少冤枉！
　　這一次我無處可逃，
一切退路都已消亡，早已消亡。。。。。。

　　我發誓我們已在河岸分別，
我發誓分別時她清白無恙。
讓我最後一次回到河邊吧，
然後離開這古老的小town。