When the Levee Breaks
John Campbell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay

Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home
Oh, well, oh, well, oh, well

Don't it make you feel bad
When you're tryin' to find your way home
You don't know which way to go?
If you're goin' down South
They got no work to do
If you're going North to Chicago.

Cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good... no
Cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move

All last night sat on the levee and moaned
All last night sat on the levee and moaned
Thinkin' about my baby and my happy home

Going, going to Chicago. Going to Chicago.

Sorry but I can't take you.
Going down. going down now. going down...

Overall Meaning

The song "When the Levee Breaks" by John Campbell is a cover of the original song by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie. However, John Campbell's version is better known due to its use in the soundtrack of the movie "Natural Born Killers." The song uses the metaphor of a flood caused by rain that breaks a levee to represent the emotional and physical disasters in one's life. The first verse begins by warning that if the rain keeps coming, the levee will break and there will be nowhere to stay. The song then reveals that the "mean old levee" has made the singer weep and moan and has caused him to leave his home. The second verse further emphasizes the difficulty of finding a way home and points out that whether someone goes north or south, they will have no work to do. The verse ends with the chorus repeating the warning that the levee will break, and the singer will have to move. The final lines reveal how the singer spends his time sitting on the levee, thinking about his lost love, and planning to leave for Chicago.

The lyrics of "When the Levee Breaks" portray a sense of resignation and hopelessness. The singer has been battered by life's storms and is at the mercy of forces beyond his control. He is unable to find his way home or to find work to support himself. The metaphor of a flood breaking a levee represents the breaking of his spirit, and he is forced to move on in search of a new life.

Line by Line Meaning

If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
Continued downpour will lead to the inevitable destruction of the levee

When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay
The singer is in a vulnerable position and the destruction of the levee will leave him homeless

Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
The levee has caused the singer much grief, pain, and heartbreak

Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home
The levee's impending destruction is so great that even someone as tough as a mountain man would be forced to leave

Don't it make you feel bad When you're tryin' to find your way home You don't know which way to go?
The destruction of the levee creates a sense of confusion and disorientation for those affected

If you're goin' down South They got no work to do If you're going North to Chicago.
There are no good options for those seeking refuge or work after the destruction of the levee

Cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do you no good... no
There is no use in lamenting or appealing to a higher power, the situation is beyond repair

When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move
The only option when faced with the inevitable destruction of the levee is to evacuate and move to safety

All last night sat on the levee and moaned Thinkin' about my baby and my happy home
The artist spends his time on the levee lamenting the loss of his loved ones and former happy life

Going, going to Chicago. Going to Chicago. Sorry but I can't take you. Going down. going down now. going down...
The artist is leaving for Chicago and unwilling or unable to take others with them, with a sense of impending doom

Writer(s): J. Page, R. Plant, J. Bonham, J. Paul Jones, Memphis Minnie

Contributed by Ella F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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