Bm D I was 18 my brother was 21 Bm D One saturday evenin when all the work was done A G We went down to the river we had some trot lines to run Bm D My brother walter had a fight the week before Bm D Knocked a boy named wilson through the pool hall door A G They said you dont mess with wilson unless you want a war Bm D I put the boat in the water and i made the engine run Bm D I loaded the lantern against the sinking sun A G And my brother walter was loading his gun D A Bm And we went down the river Bm D Down past the coal docks we were running our lines Bm D Heard some drunken boaters racing up behind A G It was wilson and his cousin they had trouble on their minds Bm D They passed on by us probably going to tend their pots Bm D We headed up the river with the fish we'd caught A G But before we made the landing i thought i heard a shot D A Bm Back down the river Bm D My brother walter fell over the side Bm D And i couldnt find him no matter how i tried A G And i looked along the bank but i couldnt find where they'd hide Bm D They drug the river they searched it up and down Bm D Couldnt find his body so they decided that he'd drowned A G But i knew better cause wilson bragged around town Bm D So one night i floated down right above wilsons shack Bm D I hid in the woods untill i saw him walk out back A G I put a bullet in his head and dropped him in his tracks D A Bm Then we went down the river Bm D Down below the trestle where the water runs slow Bm D I chained him to an anvil then i let him go A G And five years later well i aint told a soul Bm D And i aint done much fishin i hardly wet a line Bm D The death of my brother is still heavy on my mind A G I've been thinking wilsons cousin better find a place to hide D A Bm D A Bm Cause i'm goin down the river yeah i'm goin down the river