My name is             you know that
 it's written on                                 of the bed.
 They think I'm               can't read it,
 but I've read                                  says is "death".
 So confession, is                 that you came?
 Get it off                              of the game?
 Since you mention                           things I'll name,
 thirteen crosses high            cold Missouri waters.

 August 'Forty-Nine, North Montana,
 the hottest day                forest tinder dry.
 Lightning strikes, in the mountains.
 As crew chief                                 boys to fly.
 Pick the drop            comes in low.
 Feel the tap,                    tells you "GO".
 See the circle,        fire down below.
 Fifteen of us                    cold Missouri waters.

 Gauged the fire, I'd seen bigger.
 I ordered them                         it from below.
 We'd have our        to the river.
 We'd have it                              took it slow,
 But the fire                     valley just ahead.
 There's no way                  the ridge instead.
 Too big to                              that slope instead.
 Flames one step                   cold Missouri waters.

 Sky turned red. Smoke was boiling.
 Two hundred yards                      fifty yards behind.
 I don't know        just thought it.
 I struck a                                       out of time.
 Tried to tell                      fire I set.
 We can't make                      chance you'll get.
 But they cursed                 rocks above instead.
 I lay face                            cold Missouri waters.

 a a a aa aa

 And when I       like the phoenix,
 that world reduced                          but two survived.
 I stayed that        one day after.
 Carried bodies to                          I stayed alive.
 Thirteen stations, of              mark their fall.
 I've had my                   to nothing more.
 I'll join them                      me long before.
 Thirteen crosses high           cold Missouri water.
 Thirteen crosses high                                      uu uu uuuu