my lord how the rains came down the waters made a mighty sound when the levees broke that day washin all those souls away the whole world stood to watch us drown but we took it to a higher ground it takes more than a hurricane to empty out the pontchartrain long ago we broke the chains in new orleans new orleans when brother bill and sister nell are singing like a ringing bell then you ll know all is well in new orleans new orleans bring it all fire and flood fill the rivers up with mud to cut and run ain t in our blood we are new orleans so baby let the life roll on the blues were made to make us strong we re walkin in a brighter day nothin can get in our way the whole world stood to watch us drown but we took it to a higher ground it takes more than a hurricane to empty out the pontchartrain long ago we broke the chains in new orleans new orleans when brother bill and sister nell are singing like a ringing bell then you ll know all is well in new orleans new orleans new orleans new orleans