Roll On Columbia

Album: Columbia River Collection (1941)
Play Video
  • Roll on, Columbia, roll on
    Roll on, Columbia, roll on
    Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
    So roll on, Columbia, roll on

    Green Douglas firs where the waters cut through
    Down her wild mountains and canyons she flew
    Canadian Northwest to the oceans so blue
    Roll on Columbia, roll on

    Other great rivers add power to you
    Yakima, Snake, and the Klickitat, too
    Sandy Willamette and Hood River too
    So roll on, Columbia, roll on

    Tom Jefferson's vision would not let him rest
    An empire he saw in the Pacific Northwest
    Sent Lewis and Clark and they did the rest
    So roll on, Columbia, roll on

    It's there on your banks that we fought many a fight
    Sheridan's boys in the blockhouse that night
    They saw us in death but never in flight
    So roll on Columbia, roll on

    At Bonneville now there are ships in the locks
    The waters have risen and cleared all the rocks
    Shiploads of plenty will steam past the docks
    So roll on, Columbia, roll on

    And on up the river is Grand Coulee Dam
    The mightiest thing ever built by a man
    To run the great factories and water the land
    So roll on, Columbia, roll on

    These mighty men labored by day and by night
    Matching their strength 'gainst the river's wild flight
    Through rapids and falls, they won the hard fight
    So roll on, Columbia, roll on Writer/s: WOODY GUTHRIE
    Publisher: T.R.O. INC.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 2

  • Vivek from Bangalore, IndiaGuthrie was one of the major influences on Bob dylan. He even worte a song for guthrie when he was in the hospital, close to his death.
  • Mike from Mountlake Terrace, WashingtonOne of the most popular songs in the history of the United States, it is paean to the harnessing of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest to help farms and industry through federally-built hydroelectric power facilties. It became famous as an anthem about American public works projects arising out of FDR's New Deal in the Great Depression.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Kiss

KissFact or Fiction

Kiss is the subject of many outlandish rumors - some of which happen to be true. See if you can spot the fakes.

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the Song

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.