If we dump all our sins onto the shore, it runs to the river and back to my door,
I'd like to see the sky at my window,
Never can know what goes with the flow,
Life was grand some time ago, but it's been this way for as long as I know,
I'd love to see the blue in the sky, but the weatherman says I'm 'bout to die.

The river runs black in my outback.
Yeah, the river runs black in my outback, oh yeah,
The river runs black in my outback.
Yeah, the river runs black in my outback, oh yeah.

God's light is pure in the water's way; his light is life in the river's flow,
The glassy streams move endlessly across the face of our disgrace,
And the water runs, and the water runs.

The water runs black in my outback,
Yeah, the river runs black in my outback, oh yeah.

I'm walking in the rain and it burns my skin, running in my eyes,
And I start to cry 'cause I know it's my fault, and it's your fault too, for all the stupid things we know we shouldn't do,
We have wasted this earth and we can't turn away,
For the damage we have done, the innocent will pay,
We can close our eyes and say it isn't there, while this world runs away and we die in despair,
We are drowning in our garbage and filth our hands have made,
And the money can't replace the price that must be paid,
We have fallen short of our duty here on Earth,
We were taught to waste the world, from our death to our birth,
God has placed a price on the head of every man,
All have been made guilty, to the end of this land,
Apathy or ignorance won't turn our deeds away,
We have loosed the damage, and our deeds have gone astray,
From Voltaire to Hitler, every ears that's heard,
From Chernobyl to Quindaro, Christ will have the last word.

And the water runs black, yeah, yeah,
The water runs black,
Yeah, the water runs black,
The water runs black in my outback,
Yeah, the water runs black in my outback, oh yeah.

So now, let's work together,
All of the saints pray for the weather,
Love to see another clear day,
All the saints, on your knees to pray,
Petition God, petition man,
Let's work together, try to save this land,
Forgive me, God, for the sincerity I lack, but the water runs black in my outback.

The river runs black,
The river runs black,
The river runs black in my outback.
Oh, the river runs black in my outback, oh yeah.

In my outback, yeah, yeah.