[Verse] Listen up all you beggars, you liars, and you thieves
I'm about to bring you somethin' that's gonna
Take you to your knees
You know that I could never let you down
Oh, when you feel the might and you hear
That old soul sound
You've been waiting on the wind
You've been waiting on the winds of change
To blow your sails into the night
Oh, but all you do is sit and cry

[Chorus] You got to go down to the river
And wash your soul clean
You got to go down to the river
And wash your soul clean
You got to go down to the river
And wash your soul clean
You got to go down to the river
And wash your soul clean

[Bridge] What you want, you ain't got (you got to go down to the river)
What you got is all that you need (and wash your soul clean)
What you want, you ain't got (you got to go down to the river)
What you got is all that you need (and wash your soul clean)

[Chorus] You got to go down to the river!
And wash your soul clean!
You got to go down to the river!
And wash your soul clean!
You got to go down to the river!
And wash your soul clean!
You got to go mow in the river!
And wash your soul clean!