John Malcolm Penn
Driftin' River June 2014
John Malcolm Penn
Story
That Eddie Dean western movie and I premiered on the same day. since the female lead was Shirley Patterson, my Godmother, I just had to write this song. Much like the movie's river, the song's lyrics drift from a rancher's distressed daughter to a wider social commentary.
Lyrics
DRIFTIN RIVER
Jenny was the farmer’s daughter
Daddy had the farm in a fix
She got help from the town banker
Nothin’ but a bag full of tricks
Lies just grow and flow like water
She said it wouldn’t do any harm
To get on a bus, I don’t want much
Just a life away from this farm
(chorus) Fool me once, I had it comin’
Fool me twice, I had it comin’ again
Fool me tray, not okay
For I won’t go, and I won’t row
This driftin’ river again
Seems to me we’re all like Jenny
Politicians got us in a fix
One side says, trust the bankers
The other has a bag full of tricks
Lies just grow and flow like water
Before there’s any more harm
Kick ‘em off the bus, we can’t trust ‘em
We’re tired of sharecropping their farm
(chorus)