The day the river freezes is the day it won't seem fair 'Cos they'll come to get the river lady And I don't think they'll care I know they'll scrape her paint off In their same old foolish ways Now the people see the river But the old ship's gone away. Water turns cold and gets to freezing Before you even know ;it the old girl's easing Away from her berth round by the point and out of our view Off in the mist her engines pounding