I was swallowed by the harbor but escaped to Interstate
worked with my sister Liz and Chris at the Chancery off highway
another waitress named Elizabeth with red hair through mind would run
but when I moved away that winter, Katie I couldn’t stop thinking of

5 years later in Seattle, a DJ played “It's Time to Say Goodbye”
as we were cleaning up the wedding, me and Adam tore the dance floor tiles
Joanna stood up straight, like an opera singer sang along
as her youngest sister walked in, me and Adam’s hearts were gone

you broke my heart, you broke my heart
you broke my heart like a water balloon
you broke my heart, you broke my heart
you broke my heart like a water balloon

brown hair under bright sun sipping a salted caramel shake
Libby looked just liked Diana but Katie’s memory she did wake
just when I told her one sweet sip could always be enough
I collapsed from crash of sugar then no longer in the blood

you broke my heart, you broke my heart
you broke my heart like a water balloon
you broke my heart, you broke my heart
you broke my heart like a water balloon

I’d fill from the sugar nile to forget and try and wash away
‘til at party with blonde hair sat Elizabeth with another name
I was scared of dipping toe in water for fear that I’d drown
then my father’s hand pushed me in and again it pulled me out

love can be a rushing flood, whole soul gets rearranged
but in wreckage and rubble, you’ll see only beautiful change
our love was a water balloon we let back and forth be tossed
‘til it slipped and hit the ground and then all we had was lost

you broke my heart, you broke my heart
you broke my heart like a water balloon
you broke my heart, you broke my heart
you broke my heart like a water balloon
you broke my heart like a water balloon

let’s go down the sugar nile, sail it for a little while
close our eyes and travel a whole mile
dip toes in and be baptized
come out full hearts and clear eyes
we’ll go riding down the sugar nile

let’s go down the sugar nile, sail it for a little while
close our eyes and travel a whole mile
on the rock candy river we will go
to Mt. Prospect it will flow
we’ll go riding down the sugar nile

let’s go down the sugar nile, sail it for a little while
close our eyes and travel a whole mile
plant a salted caramel kiss on me
God didn’t want me to be lonely
we’ll go riding down the sugar nile

let’s go down the sugar nile, sail it for a little while
close our eyes and travel a whole mile
let breeze blow away the truth
Mama don’t take away my pink booth
we’ll go riding down the sugar nile

let’s go down the sugar nile, sail it for a little while
close our eyes and travel a whole mile
see clearly with both eyes
under blue moon we’ll be baptized
we’ll go riding down the sugar nile