1. Left a good job in the city, workin' for the man ev'ry night and day

2. Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis, pumped a lot of tain down in New Orleans

3. If you come down to the river, bet you gonna find some people who live

1. And I never lost one minute of sleepin', worryin' 'bout the way things might have been

2. But I never saw the good side of the city, 'til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen

3. You don't have to worry 'cause you have [if you got] no money People on the river are happy to give

1., 2., 3. Big wheel keep on turnin', Proud Mary keep on burnin'

1. Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river

2. Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river, (repeat, RIFF)

3. Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river, (repeat, RIFF, end)