Billy had a mistress down on 'A' and 12th
She was that little somethin' that he did for himself
His own little secret didn't hurt nobody
Come the afternoon he'd take her wadin'

Waist deep in the big muddy
Waist deep in the big muddy
You start out standing but end up crawlin'

Got in some trouble and needed a hand from a friend of mine
This old friend he had a figure in mind
It was nothing illegal just a little bit funny
He said "c'mon don't tell me that the rich don't know
Sooner or later it all comes down to money"

And you're waist deep in the big muddy
Waist deep in the big muddy
You start on higher ground but end up crawlin'

Well I had a friend said "You watch what you do
Poison snake bites you and you're poison too"

How beautiful the river flows and the birds they sing
But you and I we're messier things
There ain't no one leavin' this world buddy
Without their shirttail dirty
Or their hands bloody

Waist deep in the big muddy
Waist deep in the big muddy
You start on higher ground but end up somehow crawlin'
Waist deep in the big muddy

Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Writer(s): BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN