Lyrics Don't Go Near the Water - Johnny Cash

From the fountains in the mountains
Comes the water running cool and clear and blue
And it comes down from the hills
And it goes down to the towns and passes through

When it gets down to the cities
Then the water turns into a dirty gray
It's poisoned and polluted
By the people as it goes along its way

Don't go near the water children
See the fish all dead upon the shore
Don't go near the water
'Cause the water isn't water anymore

I took my boy fishin' to my old favorite fishin' hole
I had caught many a fish out of that deep clear water
From the time I was a boy like him
After we'd fished a few minutes
He said, "Did you get a bite yet daddy?"
I said, "I think I got a nibble son"
"Me too", he said
Then he said, "Daddy if we catch a fish can we eat him"
I said, "Well there was a time son
This water's bad now and I might not be safe to eat the fish
But there was a time"

There was a time the air was clean
And you could see forever 'cross the plains
The wind was sweet as honey
And no one had ever heard of acid rain

We're torturin' the earth
And pourin' every kind of evil in the sea
We violated nature
And our children have to pay the penalty

Don't go near the water children
See the fish all dead upon the shore
Don't go near the water
'Cause the water isn't water anymore

Don't go near the water children
See the fish all dead upon the shore
Don't go near the water
'Cause the water isn't water anymore