Proud Mary Songtext
von Solomon Burke

I know a lot of you folks
Would like to know what
The old Proud Mary is all about
Well, I′d like to tell you about her
She's nothing but a big old boat

You see, my forefathers
Used to ride the bottoms of her
As stokers, cooks, and waiters
And I made a vow that when I grew up
I′d take a ride on the old Proud Mary
And if you'd let me
I'd like to sing about it

Looking for a job in the city
Working for the man
Every night and day
And I never lost
One minute of sleep
Worrying about the way
Things might have been


Big wheels keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
Y′all just rolling, rolling
Rolling on the river

Been a lotta places like Memphis
And I had a lot of fun
Down in New Orleans
And I never saw
The good side of the city
′Til I took the ride
On a river boat queen

Big wheels keep on turning and
Old Proud Mary keeps on burning
Y'all just rolling, rolling
Rolling on the river

Can′t you see I'm now
Just rolling, rolling
Rolling on the river


If you come down to the river
Bet you gonna find
The people who live
You don′t have to worry
If you don't have no money
People on the river
Are happy and funny

Big wheels just keeps on turning
And the Proud Mary
Keeps on burning, burning
Rolling, rolling, y′all just
Rolling down the river

Come on, y'all
Look at her just rolling
Kind of easy like
I know some of you never seen
A big boat like the Proud Mary
But I just want you to imagine
In your mind that we're standing
All down by the dock of the bay
And here we go, here she comes
Clear in view, watch her now

Everybody, rolling, rolling
Rolling down the river
I just want you to help me
Just rolling, ooh...