About three miles from the bateau yard At the rivers curve on down Not far south from the town depot Sullivan's shack was found Back on the higher ground You could see him everyday Walking down the line With old brown sack acrossed his back And his long hair down behind Speaking his worried mind Its a long way from the delta To the north georgia hills And a tote sack full of ginseng Won't pay no travellin' bills But im to old to ride the rail Or thumb the road alone So i guess i'll never make it back to home My muddy water mississippi delta home The winters here they get to cold The damp it makes me ill Can't dig no roots in the mountain side When the grounds froze hard as steel You gotta stay at the foot of the hill But next summer things'll turn bright The companies will pay high I'll make enough money to pay my bills And bid these mountains goodbye Then he said with a sigh Its a long way from the delta To the north georgia hills And a tote sack full of ginseng Won't pay no travellin' bills But im to old to ride the rail Or thumb the road alone So i guess i'll never make it back to home My muddy water mississippi delta home