​There’re many news stories of late about floods around the world so perhaps our song is topical. Close to 100 years old Backwater Blues (public domain) originally by the wonderful Bessie Smith is about a 1926 Nashville, TN flood. We changed the chord progression and lightly tweaked the lyric and hope you find it of interest. Big thanks to our music partner PeterF and PG Music.  

Janice: lead/call back vocals & arrangement
Peter: all guitar solos & RT guitar processing advice
Bud: RealTracks, RealDrums, MIDI Su[erTrack, mix, mastering, arrangement & photo

© 2023 Trad. Arr. J. Merritt, B. Merritt & P. Fulham

It rained five days and the sky turned dark as night
I watched the river rise while the sky turned dark as night
Now backwater in the lowlands is an awful sight

Then came thunder and the wind began to blow
Lightnin’ flashed and the wind began to blow
There's thousands of people, ain't got a place to go

Sittin’ on my roof I spotted a boat on the backwater
I hollered at them and they came for me through the backwater
I jumped in their boat and it seemed like we rowed forever

Next day I climbed up a high, sandy bank
Sunny blue skies, birds singing while I stood on that bank
When I looked over at my house my heart sank

No, no, I can't move any more
All our homes, all that water
The backwater left me no place to go