I'll never swim Kern River again.

It was there that I 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 oil town,

But my gusher never came in.

And the river was a boundary,

Where my darlin' and I used to swim.

One night in the moonlight,

The swiftness swept her life away.

And now I live on Lake Shasta,

And Lake Shasta is where I will stay.



There's the South San Joaquin,

Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found.

And there's a place called Mount Whitney,

From where the mighty Kern River comes down.

Now, it's not deep nor wide,

But it's a mean piece of water, my friend.

And I may cross on the highway,

But I'll never swim Kern River again.



I'll never swim Kern River again.

It was there that I 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.

Instrumental break.



I'll never swim Kern River again.

An' it was there that I met her.

It was there that I lost my best friend.

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.