Henry's Songbook

As I went down by the river what do you think I did see
But a little fish on the river bank, and here's what he said to me
Would you show me how to swim, for times are bad, you see
And the water's not what it used to be, so please would you help me
But what can I do, I'm only a man
Blame the world not me
Then the fish slipped into the water and to the bottom went he

As I went over the meadow what do you think I did see
But a blackbird hanging on to a branch and here's what he said to me
Would you show me how to fly, for times are bad, you see
And the air is not what it used to be, so please would you help me
But what can I do, I'm only a man
Blame the world not me
Then the bird went tumbling off the branch and down to the ground fell he

As I went into the city what do you think I did see
But a dying man upon the ground and the name of that man was Me
Would you show me how to live, for times are bad, you see
And the world is not what it used to be, would somebody please help me
But the only people who came along
Were people who thought like me
They blamed the world and passed me by and that was the end of me