Verse 1:
I live on Big Sandy River
From Rockcastle County I came
I work on Bill Lyon’s pushboat
Gabe Stafford they call my name.
Chorus (repeats after each verse):
We eat and we sleep when we can
We eat and we sleep when we can.
Verse 2:
When folks they sold him their ginseng
On hauling such loads Bill was bent
We loaded our boat with its tonnage
And away down the Sandy we went.
Chorus
We eat and we sleep when we can
We eat and we sleep when we can.
Verse 3:
We pushed 'round the curve at Fishtrap
With backs bent o’er the poles
To keep her from grazin' the sand-bar
And wrecking our precious tow.
Chorus
We eat and we sleep when we can
We eat and we sleep when we can.
Verse 4:
Then down past the point at Louisa
Where the Tug and Levisa Forks meet
And Bill played a jig on his banjo
While we rested and took time to eat.
Chorus
We eat and we sleep when we can
We eat and we sleep when we can.
Verse 5:
It was dark when we passed the old gristmill
That sets at the falls of Big Blaine
We sure was a tired bunch of sinners
But never a man did complain.
Chorus
We eat and we sleep when we can
We eat and we sleep when we can.
Verse 6:
This is the life of the river
The song of the pushboatin’ band
We love who we please and as often
We eat and we sleep when we can.
Final Chorus (Repeat & Fade):
We eat and we sleep when we can
We eat and we sleep when we can...
