If it keeps on raining, levee's going to break If it keeps on raining, levee's going to break When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan Oh, mean old levee taught me to weep and moan Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home Oh, well, oh, well, oh, well Don't it make you feel bad When you're trying to find your way home You don't know which way to go? If you're going down South They got no work to do If you don't know about Chicago Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good Now, crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move All last night sat on the levee and moaned All last night sat on the levee and moaned Thinking about me baby and my happy home Going, going to Chicago Going to Chicago Sorry but I can't take you Going down, going down now, going down