I left a good job in the city, working for the man every night and day But I never lost a minute of sleeping, worrying about the way things might have been The big wheel keep on turning, the primary keeps on burning Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river I cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis, shopped a lot of cane down in New Orleans But I never saw the good side of the city, till I hitched a ride on a riverboat queen The big wheel keep on turning, the primary keeps on burning Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river Now if you go down to the river, I bet you're gonna find some people who live You don't have to worry whether you got no money, people on the river are happy to give The big wheel keep on turning, the primary keeps on burning Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river Now if you go down to the river, I bet you're gonna find some people who live