Verse: A C Thirty miles out in the Gulf Stream D A I can hear them South winds moan A C The bridges are lookin' lower D A Shrimp boats are hurryin' home A C The old man down in the quarter D A Slowly turned his head A C He took another sip of his whiskey bottle D A He looked at me and he said A C I was born in the rain by Lake Ponchartrain D A Underneath the Louisiana Moon A C And I don't mind the strain of a hurricane D E They come around every June A C High black water, a devils daughter D A She's hard and she's cold, and she's mean A G But nobody's taught her that it takes a lot of water D A To wash away New Orleans A man came down from Chicago Gonna set that levee right It's got to be up about three feet higher Won't make it through the end of the night The old man down in the quarter Said don't you listen to that boy The water'll down by mornin', son And he'll be back on his way to Illinois Cause I was born in the rain by the Ponchartrain Underneath the Louisiana Moon And I don't mind the strain of a hurricane They come around every June High black water's like the devil's daughter She's hard and she's cold, and she's mean But we've finally taught her that it takes a lot of water To wash away New Orleans