"If The Good Lord's Willing and The Creek Don't Rise" is a 1955 American country song by Jerry Reed which was particularly popularized by the 1958 recording of Johnny Cash and has been covered by multiple artists.
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Lyrics
The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is itself is thought to originate from Alabama. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. In the Reed song and Cash cover the verses vary the rhyme, so the opening line commences:
If the good Lord's willing and the creek stays down I'll be in your arms time the moon come around.
But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise".
Versions
By date order (spelling and titling may vary):