When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin (1971)

Original lyrics were by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929, in reference to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, on record as the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States.

If it keeps on rainin' levee's goin' to break
If it keeps on rainin' levee's goin' to break
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay

Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan, Lord
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
It's 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 tryin' to find your way home
You don't know which way to go?
If you're goin' down South
They got no work to do
If you don't know about Chicago

Cryin' won't help you prayin' won't do you no good
Now cryin' won't help you prayin' 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
Thinkin' 'bout my 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
Going down now, going down
Going down, going down, going down
Going down now, going down
Going down now, going down
Going down now, going down
Going d-d-d-d-down
Woo, woo