I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there I first met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
And I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again
I grew up in an old town
But my gusher never came in
And the river was a boundary
And the river was a boundary
Where my darling and I used to swim
One night in the moonlight
The swiftness swept her life away
Now I live on Lake Shasta
Lake Shasta is where I will stay
There's a South San Joaquin
Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found
There's a place called Mount Whitney
From where the mighty Kern River comes down
Well, it's not deep nor wide
But it's a main piece of water, my friend
I may cross on the highway
But I'll never swim Kern River again
I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there I first met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
And I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again
I'll never swim Kern River again
I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there I first met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind


I dreamed it up here with the wind
I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again
I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim
Kern River again