The day the river freezes is the day it won't seem fair  'Cos they'll come to get the river lady  And I don't think they'll care    I know they'll scrape her paint off  In their same old foolish ways    Now the people see the river  But the old ship's gone away.  Water turns cold and gets to freezing  Before you even know ;it the old girl's easing  Away from her berth round by the point and out of our view  Off in the mist her engines pounding'  Back on the banks that old horn's sounding  A little good-bye  a little I'll do what I must do  A little good-bye  a little I'll do what I must do.    I know I will remember when I cannot hear that horn  That would roll up by the mountains  As she took us through the storm  I know they've got to take her  But I can't say I approve  'Cos she's won so many battles  That I hate to see her lose.    Water turns cold and gets to freezing  . . .