Daddy was a mover and a gold creek miner,
never had a dollar or a hard luck song.
Mama ran off and he’s never gonna find her,
went down the river, she’s a long time gone.

Daddy taught me everything he thought
we needed in the world just to get along.
Brew a little feelgood, cut a little cordwood,
sing a little tenor on a gospel song.

Can you see me? Daddy, where the river went wrong?
It ain’t easy, high and dry and the memory’s gone,
I’ll settle down and let the river roll along.

Misty midnight huntin’ by moonlight,
one-shot rifle and a one-eyed dog.
That was Sunday, looks like Monday,
Daddy kept a bible in a sycamore log.

Lonesome yearning, kids keep turning on
never saw a woman I could call my own.
What’s to give running on a river,
sleeping in the gravel like a rolling stone.

Can you see me? Daddy, where the river went wrong?
It ain’t easy, high and dry and the memory’s gone.
I’ll settle down and let the river roll along.

Daddy Was a Mover is track no. 9 on The Dillards’ 1973 album Tribute to the American Duck. It’s also track no. 9 immediately following Pinball Wizard on dad’s favorite (only?) mixtape, Otis’ Anthology of Greatest Hits of the 70s. This cassette consists mainly of CSNY, Poco, and Tommy,  I have heard it approximately 8 million times over the last 36 years, and I found myself playing it very loudly all last week.