[Intro — acoustic guitar and low fiddle; pedal steel enters before the vocal] [Verse 1] By July I walked the creek bed With my work boots powder-dry. Found the chain we lost last winter When that water ran bank-high. Now it holds a tank down steady On the trailer hitched behind. I fill it at the Millers’ well And thank ’em every time. [Chorus] The summer the creek quit, We measured days in loads: Water for the cattle, Diesel burnin’ down the road. We talked about the weather Till we both got sick of it. But we couldn’t seem to help ourselves The summer the creek quit. [Turnaround — pedal steel over piano and acoustic guitar] [Verse 2] We put a tarp across the hay shed, Spent the roof fund haulin’ feed. She called the bank on Tuesday, Told ’em plainly what we’d need. Then our boy came through the kitchen, Asked if he could take the Ford. I said, “Can’t you see I’m busy?” Sent him quiet out the door. [Chorus] The summer the creek quit, We measured days in loads: Water for the cattle, Diesel burnin’ down the road. We talked about the weather Till we both got sick of it. But we couldn’t seem to help ourselves The summer the creek quit. [Instrumental — eight bars; pedal steel leads, fiddle answers] [Bridge — drums ease back; piano stays beneath the vocal] She said, “He only asked a question. He didn’t make that creek run dry.” I found him sittin’ on the tailgate, Said, “I’m sorry ’bout inside.” Then I laid the keys beside him: “Go meet your friends. Be home by nine.” [Final Chorus — full band returns; restrained harmonies] The summer the creek quit, We measured days in loads: Water for the cattle, Diesel burnin’ down the road. We talked about the weather Till we both got sick of it. But we couldn’t seem to help ourselves The summer the creek quit. [Outro — quietly, almost spoken; acoustic guitar and pedal steel] Next mornin’ I was haulin’ water. He came out to shut the gate. [Instrumental ending — fiddle recalls the opening melody; pedal steel holds the final chord] © 2026 Redneck Muslim. All rights reserved.
