The Riverbank-Paul Simon
Frightened by the tone of a 'phone
in the dead of night
Then staring into darkness
and praying 'til the morning light
The price already paid
a son gone to the grave
Now the sorrowful parade
to the riverbank
Must be half the county come down
to the riverbank
High school is closed same
for the local police
Shall we tearfully embrace shall
we sing amazing grace
Will the shallow waters bring us peace
Army dude only son nowhere
to run no-one to turn to
He turns to the gun
It's a cross it's a stone
it's a fragment of bone
It's a long walk home a long walk home
Gonna be a long walk home
from the riverbank
Is there any reason why
the black pine should not weep
Is there a woman or a man
Who wouldn't understand
why he could not sleep
And the nightmares
when they came like poison to the brain
Reminded him again life is cheap
Army dude only son nowhere
to run no-one to turn to
He turns to the gun
It's a cross it's a stone
it's a fragment of bone
It's a long walk home a long walk home
Gonna be a long walk home
from the riverbank
Army dude's mama at the edge of the river
Limp as a rag american flag in her arms
Then a triangle of light kissed
the red and blue and white
Along the riverbank past
the dealerships and farms
Along the riverbank past
the dealerships and farms