DON'T GO NEAR THE WATER
Words and music by Johnny Cash
As recorded by Johnny Cash on "Boom Chicka Boom" (1990)
Capo 1st fret, play in A.

[A] From the fountains in the mountains
Comes the water running cool and clear and blue,
And it flows down from the hills
And it goes down to the towns and passes through.

When it gets [D] down to the cities,
Then the water turns into a dirty [A] grey.
It's poisoned and polluted
By the [E] people as it flows along its [A] way.

[D] Don’t go near the water, children.
See the fish all dead upon the [A] shore.
[D] Don’t go near the water.
The [E] water isn't water any-[A] more.

NARRATION:
I took my boy fishin' to my old favorite fishin' hole.
I had caught many a fish out of that deep clear water
From the time I was a boy like him.
After we'd fished a few minutes,
He said, “Did you get a bite yet, Daddy?”
I said, “I think I got a nibble, son.” “Me too,” he said.
Then he said, “Daddy, if we catch a fish, can we eat him?”
I said, “Well, there was a time, son.
This water's bad now. It might not be safe to eat the fish,
But there was a time.”

[A] There was a time the air was clean
And you could see forever 'cross the plains.
The wind was sweet as honey,
And no one had ever heard of acid rain.

We're [D] torturin' the earth and pourin'
Every kind of evil in the [A] sea.
We violated nature and our [E] children
Have to pay the penal-[A] ty.

[D] Don’t go near the water, children.
See the fish all dead upon the [A] shore.
[D] Don’t go near the water
'Cause the [E] water isn't water any [A] more.

[D] Don’t go near the water, children.
See the fish all dead upon the [A] shore.
[D] Don’t go near the water,
'Cause the [E] water isn't water any [A] more.