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 ...

翻译如下：

　　早在我七岁那年，
妈妈就开始觉出危险。
那个时候，镇上居民的目光带着偏见，
他们说：“离这孩子远点”。

　　三年前，
玛丽在我的生活中出现，
第一次有人看到我真实的内心，
透过谣传和谎言。

　　我们曾经沿着那条小河顺流而下，
她最爱看夕阳映红天边。
　　我们喜欢沿着河边散步，
梦想着看到小镇外面世界的那天。

　　我对玛丽的感情，
没有人能明白，
也没有人在乎----直到那个夜里她孤零零出去，
再也没有回来。

　　次日清晨警官敲开我的房门，
刹时间我又一次陷入蜚语流言，
被人们指指点点，
指指点点。。。。。。

　　我发誓我们已在河岸分别，
我发誓分别时她清白无恙。
让我最后一次回到河边吧，
然后离开这古老的小town。

　　回想起过往的日子啊，
我受到过多少冤枉！
　　这一次我无处可逃，
一切退路都已消亡，早已消亡。。。。。。

　　我发誓我们已在河岸分别，
我发誓分别时她清白无恙。
让我最后一次回到河边吧，
然后离开这古老的小town。