Down by the river That flows by the coal yards Stand wooden houses With shutters torn down There lives a girl Everybody calls patches Patches my darling From old shanty town We plan to marry When june brought the summer I couldn't wait To make patches my bride But now i don't see how that ever can happen My folks say no And my heart breaks inside Patches oh what can i do I swear i'll always love you But girls from that place Will just bring me disgrace So my folks won't let me love you Each night i cry as i think of that shanty And pretty patches will watching the door She doesn't know that i can't go to see her I just must think that i love her no more I hear a neighbor telling my father He says a girl named patches was found Floating face down in that dirty old river That flows by the coal yards in old shanty town Patches oh what can i do I swear i'll always love you It may not be bright But i'll join you tonight Patches i'm coming to you