I'll never swim Kern River again.
It was there that I met her.
It was there that I lost my best friend.
And now, I live in the mountains.
I drifted up here with the wind.
And I may drown in still water,
But I'll never swim Kern River again.

I grew up in an oil town,
But my gusher never came in.
And the river was a bound'ry
Where my darlin' and I used to swim.
One night in the moonlight,
The swiftness swept her life away.
And now I live on Lake Shasta,
And Lake Shasta is where I will stay.

There's the South San Joaquin,
Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found.
And there's a place called Mount Whitney,
From where the mighty Kern River comes down.
Well, it's not deep nor wide,
But it's a mean piece of water my friend.
And I may cross on the highway
But I'll never swim Kern River again.

Oh, I'll never swim Kern River again.
It was there I first met her,
And it was there that I lost my best friend.
Now I live in the mountains.
I drifted up here with the wind.
And I may drown in still water,
But I'll never swim Kern River again.

I'll never swim Kern River again.
It was there I first met her,
And it was there that I lost my best friend.
Now I live in the mountains.
I drifted up here with the wind.
And I may cross on the highway,
But I'll never swim Kern River again.

Kern River
Words and Music by:  Merle Haggard
Performed by:  Merle Haggard (1985)
Sequence and Karaoke by:  Ron Tilden

Kern River
Melody
Harmony
Guitar
Guitar (Steel)
Guitar (Nylon)
Guitar (Nylon)
Guitar (Steel)
Violin
Strings
Bass
Drums