the riverboat song meaning

Meaning of The Riverboat Song by Ocean Colour Scene

"The Riverboat Song" by Ocean Colour Scene is a song that delves into themes of deception, dissatisfaction, and the struggle to find true happiness. The lyrics use vivid metaphors and imagery to convey the emotional turmoil experienced by the protagonist.

In the verses, the riverboat symbolizes a pathway or journey in life. The river running red represents a state of turmoil and conflict, while the king's actions of shooting a dove and setting an eagle free represent making choices that seem paradoxical or contradictory. This can be seen as a metaphor for the protagonist's struggle to find balance and make the right decisions in their own life.

The pre-chorus line, "It's more or less the same as the things that you said," suggests a sense of repetition and stagnation in the protagonist's experiences and relationships. They may feel stuck in a cycle of disappointment, not finding the fulfillment they seek.

The chorus poses questions about the river's color and lack of flow, using it as a metaphor for the protagonist's confusion and longing. It reflects their desire for change, resolution, and understanding. The repetition of these questions emphasizes the frustration and inner turmoil they feel.

In the third verse, the lyrics again touch on the protagonist's struggle to express themselves fully. The phrase "the things you fail to say" suggests a fear of revealing their true thoughts and emotions, which further contributes to their troubles and dissatisfaction.

Overall, "The Riverboat Song" explores the inner struggles we face in navigating relationships, making choices, and seeking fulfillment. It urges listeners to question and reflect upon the choices they make in their own lives and the impact these choices have on their overall happiness.

This meaning interpretation was written by AI. Help improve it with your feedback

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The Riverboat Song

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I see double up ahead

I perceive a challenging situation in the near future

Where the riverboat swayed beneath the sun

Refers to a location where a riverboat moves gently in the sunlight

Is where the river runs red

Describes the river running red, possibly symbolizing conflict or danger

Like a King who stalks the wings and shoots a dove

Compares someone to a king making a decisive move, choosing freedom over restraint

And frees an eagle instead

Suggests a choice to release something powerful (eagle) instead of something fragile (dove)

It's more or less the same as the things that you said

Notes similarities between the current situation and past words spoken

I see trouble up the road

Anticipates trouble in the future

Like the things you found in love are by the way

Compares challenges to the complications found in love

And like to cheat on your soul

Suggests unfaithfulness to one's own essence or values

Like the best and worst of thoughts that lose control

Describes thoughts that spiral out of control, both positive and negative

Before you lie on your bed

Prepares for the consequences of actions before going to bed

Reiterates the similarity between current events and past statements

Anyway for all the things you know tell me why does the river not flow

Questions why the river does not flow despite knowing so much

Anyway for all the things you said tell me why does the river run red

Raises the same question about the river running red, pondering the contradiction

Anyway for all the things you've seen tell me when will the river run green

Asks when the river will turn green, perhaps a metaphor for positive change

And anyway for all the things you know tell me why does the river not flow

Repeats the question about the river not flowing, emphasizing the confusion

It's more or less the things you fail to say in your way that's your trouble

Blames communication issues as a source of trouble

Like a King who stalks the wings and shoots the moon and the stars

Compares someone to a king making powerful moves in both positive and negative directions

And his double

Highlights duality and contradiction in a person's actions

Reaffirms the resemblance between current events and past words

Repeats the question about the river not flowing, seeking understanding

Reiterates the query about the river running red, expressing confusion

Repeats the question about the river turning green, anticipating positive change

Restates the puzzle of the river not flowing, emphasizing the lack of clarity

I see trouble up ahead

Foresees trouble approaching once again

Where the river boat swayed beneath the sun

Revisits the scene of the riverboat beneath the sun, signaling a recurring theme

Reiterates the notion of the river running red, emphasizing a persistent challenge

I see double, that's my trouble

Acknowledges a sense of confusion or double vision as a personal challenge

Ocean Colour Scene - The Riverboat Song Lyrics

The Riverboat Song Lyrics

I see double up ahead Where the riverboat swayed beneath the sun Is where the river runs red Like a King who stalks the wings and shoots a dove And frees an eagle instead It's more or less the same as the things that you said I see trouble up the road Like the things you found in love are by the way And like to cheat on your soul Like the best and worst of thoughts that lose control Before you lie on your bed It's more or less the same as the things that you said Anyway for all the things you know tell me why does the river not flow Anyway for all the things you said tell me why does the river run red Anyway for all the things you've seen tell me when will the river run green And anyway for all the things you know tell me why does the river not flow

It's more or less the things you fail to say in your way that's your trouble Like a King who stalks the wings and shoots the moon and the stars And his double It's more or less the same as the things that you said Anyway for all the things you know tell me why does the river not flow Anyway for all the things you said tell me why does the river run red Anyway for all the things you've seen tell me when will the river run green And anyway for all the things you know tell me why does the river not flow I see trouble up ahead Where the river boat swayed beneath the sun Is where the river runs red I see double, that's my trouble

Writer(s): DAMON MINCHELLA, OSCAR LLOYD HARRISON, SIMON FOWLER, STEPHEN CRADOCK Copyright(s): Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Song Meanings and Facts

• Bishop Briggs

Bishop Briggs’ “River” Lyrics Meaning

by Amanda London · Published January 29, 2022 · Updated May 21, 2023

Have you ever had one of those situations where you’re addressing a romantic interest that you’re in a tumultuous relationship with, and the more the person says, the worst the situation gets? That appears to be the scenario Bishop Briggs is most pointedly speaking on “River”, where she’s telling the person she’s singing to “shut your mouth and run me like a river”.

To run somebody, as far as slang terminology goes, is basically another way of saying that you control them. And based on the first verse and pre-chorus especially, it can not only be deemed that the association between the two parties involved, who appear to be lovers, is a troubled one. 

But moreover, the vocalist is wise enough to recognize that just as quickly as one can fall in love, a romance can also “fall apart”. 

So reading in between the lines, she is telling her partner that at this point, the less he says the better. It would be more beneficial if he actually stepped to the plate and more, shall we say valiantly display his love for her – or “stand and deliver”, as she puts it.

That said, Bishop has offered various explanations of this piece, even, it would seem,  outside of the realm of  romance. And her most consistent interpretation  is that this song is fundamentally premised on the idea of challenging someone to step up. And again, that notion does in fact come through in the lyrics. But it is also more or less obvious as presented that she is speaking to romance, considering for example that Briggs refers to “fall(ing) in love” and all.

But this phenomena is something we have noted in the past, how a song which may, upon conceptualization, be based on a more universal idea, by the time all is said and done, it is presented within the context of romance. 

So with that in mind, it can be said that the challenge the vocalist is placing on the addressee is to focus more energy on being a proper lover and less on, so to speak, analyzing their relationship.

“Shut your mouth, baby, stand and deliver Holy hands, will it make me a sinner? Like a river, like a river Shut your mouth and run me like a river Choke this love ’til the veins start to shiver One last breath ’til the tears start to wither Like a river, like a river Shut your mouth and run me like a river”

Facts about “River”

With Island Records and Teleport Records releasing this track on 19 January 2016, “River” marks the second single in Bishop Briggs’ discography. 

The song was written by Briggs alongside the track’s producers, Mark Jackson and Ian Scott. And the songstress has noted that such was the first time she worked with Jackson and Scott, and overall it was a very emotional experience for her, as it was the realization of Bishop’s music dream. (She is actually from the UK but migrated to Los Angeles, as a teenager, in pursuit of her music career.)

“River” also stands as the most-successful song in Bishop Briggs’ catalog to date. For instance, by the looks of things, this is the only track she has ever dropped to date that has been certified. In that regard the tune most notably went double-platinum in the United States, where it also peaked at number five on Billboard’s  Rock Airplay  chart.

This song was featured on both Bishop Briggs’ eponymous EP and her debut LP, “Church of Scars”. 

Briggs performed this track the first time she appeared on TV, via an episode of  The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon  dated 1 August 2016.

The music video to “River” was directed by an artist named Jungle George.

American songstress Pink is known to be fond of this song, i.e. covering it a few times in the late 2010s.

Bishop Briggs has verified that the sound of this piece was influenced by a few other music acts, i.e. Hozier, Alabama Shakes and Jack Garratt.

Let’s Hear Your Stories (:

How i stumbled upon bishop briggs’ “river”.

“Until a few days before the grand finale of season 9 of the music reality show, Mask Singer, I had no idea who Bishop Briggs was. Being a devoted fan of the show, I have always supported team Medusa since her first performance. Determined to uncover Medusa’s true identity, I tirelessly speculated and sought clues. Eventually, someone mentioned that Medusa was none other than Bishop Briggs.

Intrigued, I promptly researched her and stumbled upon this remarkable song, ‘River’, which has now become my new favorite. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to her for such a triumph in the reality show’s season finale and for claiming the coveted golden mask.”

– Monika Asare

“River” reminds my that I’m not alone in this struggle

It’s truly remarkable how certain songs can intertwine themselves into the very fabric of our lives, forever imprinted in our memories. Let me paint the scene for you: it was the first day of July in 2016, a day that will forever hold a special place within the depths of my heart.

On that remarkable day, my daughter graced this world with her presence, filling it with an undeniable sense of purity and innocence. Coincidentally, it was also the day the music video for one of my all-time favorite songs, ‘River’, was released. I vividly remember sitting on my hospital bed, watching the video for the very first time.

Little did I know that this song would soon become an anchor of solace and strength during the trying months that followed my daughter’s birth. After my daughter came into the world, the days that followed were filled with a myriad of obstacles. Instead of the anticipated excitement that typically accompanies motherhood, I found myself entangled in the clutches of depression.

The responsibilities of nurturing a child as a single mother dawned on me. The path ahead appeared even more daunting. But, ‘River’ emerged as a guiding light amidst the darkness. It wasn’t necessarily the lyrics that drew me in, but rather the captivating melody of the song itself. Its harmonies became a comforting salve for my weary soul. Each note resonated within me, delicately dissipating the haze of confusion and self-doubt. It reminded me that I was not alone in my struggles.”

– Patricia Spencer

The Brilliance of Briggs

“I remember first encountering ‘River’ back in January of 2017 and instantly falling in love with Briggs’ captivating voice as well as her unique style. Subsequently, I delved into the singer’s entire discography and discovered that she was scheduled to perform at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago later that summer, a performance I wasn’t going to miss. Despite being assigned to a smaller stage as one of the daytime acts, she delivered an unforgettable performance within the limited timeframe assigned to her. Since that moment, she has held a permanent place among my favorite artists. It baffles me that she hasn’t garnered widespread recognition in the mainstream music scene, which, in my opinion, should be considered a grave injustice.”

– Mark Carter

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Is the meaning really lost on people? Breaking it down, she’s talking about making her a “sinner” This really sounds like she’s requesting/demanding digital & oral . She wants to 💦 like a river. The shaking of an “O” 👄. Perhaps there was an arguement (she’s in tears) & she wants him to stop talking & just skip to the pleasure of making up. Even if it’s over at the end, she wants it to end in pleasure not in an exchange of fighting words. Essentially saying “take all that energy & deliver one last pleasurable gasp (last breath) before the relationship ends (withers)

Lol you sound so fucking stupid

My thoughts exactly

The song is awesome

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Tags: Bishop Briggs Church of Scars Ian Scott Mark Jackson River

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Song Meanings & Facts

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• Bruce Springsteen

59 Comments

Lyrics submitted by WishYouWereHere , edited by Loraqs , franklintitan , Groujo , Pontusjpp , Mellow_Harsher

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There's a layer of meaning to this song that Springsteen may or may not have been intended - but it's there. MusicLover-MRM points out that the River is figuratively meant as "belief in how good things would always be". The river offers a baptismal soul-cleansing. When the narrator was young it never mattered how bad things in life got because he (and Mary) could go down to the river and somehow that would make everything alright - at least for a little while.

This is why the symbolism towards the end of the song is so damn heartbreaking. In the end even the river isn't there anymore. It dried up. Now there's no escape, no source of redeption for the narrator. You grow up and there's nothing that can make things right anymore. Springsteen is a pretty switched-on writer - and I think he's hip to the multiple layers of meaning that can be contained in a rich powerful song like this.

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@juancircled , is this a springsteen written song? the writers as mentioned above the song are listed as "The River" as written by Martin Terefe and Katie Victoria Tunstall.

@robert1160 Unless Martin Terefe and Katie Victoria Tunstall were, like, preposterously talented -- being 11 and 5 years old, respectively, when "The River" was released -- I think we can assume that Springsteen penned this one himself (as any other source anywhere would corroborate).

@juancircled Thinking about it, it so bloody heartbreaking actually

Damn, just writing and thinking about it drove the tears into my eyes.

"Is a dream a lie if it don't come true Or is it something worse"

Incredible.

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I think you'll find the line is: is a dream a lie if it don't come true or is it something worse that sends me down to the river....<br /> <br /> because, i think, the way you wrote it, it wouldn't have much sense.<br /> it would make sense if it was "is a dream a lie if it DOES come true, or is it something worse?"

That quote just about says it all. I pity anyone who has never heard one of his first 6 studio albums, they are all great, not to say most of his later albums weren't great too.

I really love the double meaning of "the river" as a physcal place they went when they were young, and also figuratively as belief in how good things would always be, as compared to the earth (reality) where all the things they thought were so important disappeared.

Then when he tries to go back, the river is dry, reality has over taken them.

They try to act like they don't care or remember, but they do, and they can never go back. Echos of Thoreau "most men lead lives of quiet desperation".

Wonderful deep meaning-good lesson for young folks today to be careful with thier youth.

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This song is so beautifully sad. It's about the narrator's amazing love for Mary, and how their early marriage ruined everything. Over time, they've basically become strangers, but he still thinks about how things used to be and still remembers "her body down by the resorvoir" and how they felt when they were young and they were everything to each other. I can't explain why it's so sad. It's almost like they thought they had something amazing and they had so much faith in it; even right after getting married, they went back to the river like they always had. They were so optimistic about their future, and now the narrator is trapped because he loved someone so much so many years ago and now he has to deal with that sadness and regret every day. It's a really powerful song.

One of the most amazing songs, by rock's most amazing songwriter.

It's not just the words he sings here, but the way he sings them. The line about pulling Mary close just to feel each breathe she takes brings in such powerful feelings of young and new exciting love, but then Bruce wails "these memories come back to haunt me" and then spits "they haunt me like a curse." Wow.

The line about "no wedding day smiles, no walks down the aisles, no flowers, no wedding dress." Is one of the saddest I have ever heard.

Bruce did say this song was dedicated to the man that married his sister, but it could be anyone (and everyone out there knows someone) who married young as a result of an unplanned pregnancy and had the dreams of a different life destroyed in the process.

Powerful, powerful stuff.

I can't be sure that Springsteen is using "the river" as analogous for life in general, OR a vagina as the source of the beginning of life - youth, optimism, hope etc. I tend to the former, as he says repeatedly "we" go down to the river, rather than "I" go down to the river.

As others have said, a river is a lot like life in that it rolls on relentlessly, carrying with it all sorts of positives - irrigation, transport, a food source, and obviously the very basis of life - water.

But... it can flood, or dry up, with devastating consequences - just like life. I'm guessing that Springsteen is just expressing the loss of hope for the future of the boy and Mary's life together, as they've been beset with disaster; he's broke and unemployed, and she's (possibly?) terminated an unwanted and unsupportable teenaged pregnancy.

From an optimistic future, they've fallen permanently on hard times - the river has dried up.

I prefer to take the lyrics literally rather than treat "the river" as a metaphor for anything. The song is thus pretty self-explanatory. The narrator grew up in a very conservative rural village. His teenage romance with Mary resulted in her getting pregnant, so they had to have a shotgun wedding, otherwise they would have ended up as outcasts. Some years later, they are now returning to the river - the place where they used to play and romance together during the best days of their lives.

The most notable thing about the lyrics is that the song sounds pretty innocent up until the start of the second verse. Then it takes a rather sudden turn. ("Then I got Mary pregnant...") The second chorus has the same lyrics as the first chorus but this time, their visit to the river has a different purpose - they're going there to escape their wordly troubles.

The third verse describes how they are some years later. Their situation isn't dire. He's got a job and they're not the outcasts they could have been. But he struggles to find work and money (the song was written at a time of industrial decline). Worse than that, there's a feeling of emptiness. Their love has faded, they have no dreams for the future and have a past they try to ignore. But he can't ignore it, because his memories of their romance by the river, as he describes in the final section, were actually the best moments of the life and that's why they "haunt" him. He has a melancholy life and marriage which is haunted by nostalgia for the time when they used to have fun.

So in the end, they both go down to the river ("My baby and I") to revisit the place of their favourite memories and see if they can find some of their old love again. But it's not going to be the same. The fact that the river is dry represents this. There's going to be a certain emptiness about it no matter how hard they try.

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Sorry, when I wrote "I prefer to take the lyrics literally rather than treat "the river" as a metaphor for anything." as the opening sentence, this wasn't in direct response to the previous comment posted by GuyNemeth. I agree the river represents hope and dreams, just to clarify I also believe that the song also refers to a literal river as well.

God...this song is so incredible. I can't believe no one else has posted on it. I can't even explain it. I have a thing for melancholy songs, but even if I didn't...Jesus. It's just so real.

A wonderful song that has probably moved me to tears more than any song that has ever been written. 'The river' itself is fairly clearly a reference to sex and the desperation of the end of a relationship. But the song seems to be about the futility of life in general, and how we keep on doing things even when we know there is no point to them anymore.

One of my favorite Springsteen songs... along with Youngstown I think it really encapsulates the death of the American Dream. I just wanted to mention that whenever I hear this song, the last verse makes me think of suicide. The lines:

"That sends me down to the river Though I know the river is dry"

makes me think that he is going to jump into the dry river bed from a bridge.... The lyrics above are incorrect because the line is:

"And into the river we'd dive", not drive.

Which is why at the end of the song it makes me think he's going to dive into the dry river bed.

Also another much darker interpretation of "My baby and I" is that he's thinking about killing himself and perhaps his wife or his child... anyways, my two cents.

<br /> that's exactly how I read it.<br /> <br /> <br /> the man tells the stiry about his youth, an unwanted pregnancy that changed everything, and when they're old they live besides each other, well remembering their past and passion. But that's over now.<br /> <br /> And as the narrator remember those beautifull hard moments of his life, they haunt him. cause they're past<br /> <br /> And that's driving him to the river (to jump in)<br /> He is so desperate about his loss in life and love, that he takes the way to the river, to jump, even he know it's dry.<br /> <br /> in fact I think he's hoping for the chance that het is eventually not dry, so he can end it all.<br /> <br />

@geb666 I went to read the last line, because I have always interpreted as his maybe becoming suicidal at the end.

@geb666 I have always felt that they were going down to the river for the last time and I felt it was suicide as well. I am surprised that weren’t more of us interpreting it this way.

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• Garth Brooks

Behind The Song Lyrics: “The River,” Garth Brooks

by Jacob Uitti December 27, 2021, 9:29 am

In our cover story with the legend Garth Brooks , he told American Songwriter how important James Taylor was to him while growing up. Brooks, who was raised in both a music-loving and at times-rough-and-tumble household, said that at any time, there could be fisticuffs afoot but when he came home and heard Taylor on the stereo, he knew things were okay.

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“My older brother Mike brought a James Taylor record into our house and our house finally agreed on one music,” Brooks told American Songwriter in 2020. “I owe James my life because, you know, our house was not an easy house to grow up in. If you had an argument, you ended up in the backyard.

“But if you came home and heard James Taylor on the stereo, it was going to be a good, peaceful, wonderful night. I’ve tried to explain that to James, how much I appreciate it. But he’ll never know the godsend he was to our family.” 

So, that’s why when Brooks says he was inspired by Taylor to write his hit song, “The River,” it’s a big deal. Just one dreamer helping another to push on through life’s rapids and impending shores.

In fact, Taylor recently performed the song to a bawling Brooks at a tribute to the cowboy hat-wearing artist during the 43rd Kennedy Center Honors in November. If you stay in the game long enough, miracles do happen.

For the 59-yeard-old Tulsa, Oklahoma-born Brooks, “The River” has lasted as one of his most beloved songs throughout the decades. Brooks co-wrote the song with award-winning American country artist Victoria Shaw (more on her below!). The meaning behind the song itself is centered on the idea of following your dreams no matter how turbulent life can be.

Following its release in 1991, “The River” later hit No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs and Canada Country Tracks. And it appeared on Brooks’ album that year, Ropin’ the Wind , his third studio LP.

“The River” became Brooks’ ninth No. 1 hit.

In the liner notes for his 1994 greatest hits compilation record, The Hits , Brooks wrote:

“ Of all songs, most of the letters I receive concern ‘The River.’ It is a song of inspiration… a song that I will be proud of a hundred years from now. Victoria Shaw is a wonderful writer and a wonderful friend. And this is what happens when two dreamers get together and write from the heart. One of the greatest awards that this song has ever received was the fact that it was played at Dale Wehr’s funeral. Quite an honor, cowboy. “

To begin the song, Brooks delivers the lyrics with a fragile, hopeful voice:

You know a dream is like a river Ever changin’ as it flows And a dreamer’s just a vessel That must follow where it goes

Perhaps more than anything else, Brooks’ ability to inspire both large groups of people and individuals is his biggest superpower. For the stadium-filling, “The River” is just another chance to imbue passion into the hearts of many.

He sings in the chorus:

I will sail my vessel ‘Til the river runs dry Like a bird upon the wind These waters are my sky I’ll never reach my destination If I never try So I will sail my vessel ‘Til the river runs dry

And doing so, singing this way, both emboldens his audience and Brooks himself. Today the songwriter, of course, is still going strong, selling out shows, releasing music, and maintaining his status as one of the most important performers in country music, even 30 years after the release of “The River.”

But that’s what a dream can do. It can live on longer than anyone—even the dreamer—expects.

For more, read our interview with Shaw, who talks about “The River” below:

American Songwriter: When and where did you and Garth write “The River?”  

Victoria Shaw: Garth and I wrote “The River” in my little house in East Nashville on McCarn St. My roommate wasn’t home that afternoon. I used to share a house with Jess Leary who went on to write hits like “Where the Green Grass Grows” and “Mi Via Loca.”  Back then we were just trying to get noticed. Anyway, Garth came over and we tried to come up with an idea to write and nothing was happening. We just had one bad idea after another.  Finally, Garth said, “Let’s just take a break. Put some music on. What are you into lately?” I told him I had just bought the newest James Taylor album (That’s Why I’m Here) and so I put it on. Sometimes playing music frees your mind up to go other places that have nothing to do with what you’re listening to and that’s exactly what happened. After a few minutes, Garth said, “I got it!  Turn it off.”  I turned off the CD and Garth started playing the first few lines on the guitar of “The River.” It just started flowing (pun intended). After that, the song came pretty quickly.  Maybe two hours?  It was fast, not counting the two hours before of bad ideas.  

AS: What inspired the song?

VS: That song summed up exactly what Garth and I were feeling. We both wanted success so badly though I have to say, he saw it even clearer than I did. He knew he was going to play arenas someday. I just thought he was delusional because nobody had done that in country music and it seemed way too ambitious. Ha! A few years later I had the pleasure of being Garth’s opening act at his historic Central Park concert where I got to witness one million fans waving their lighters and singing OUR song!  

AS: What has your overall experience been like collaborating with Garth?  

VS: Garth is a great songwriter. He’s very creative musically and lyrically, but will also listen to your suggestions. It’s funny though… when Garth and I write, it comes out more folky than anything else I’ve written. I think it’s that James Taylor vibe we kinda tune into when we’re together.  

AS: Step outside the song for a moment. How would you describe the song as a music fan?

VS: To this day, people stop me at my shows or wherever to tell me how much “The River” means or meant to them at some particular time in their lives. People play it at funerals, graduations, and one person told me it was the song they kept playing in their car as they were leaving their job and their hometown and seeking a new adventure. That story stands out to me.  

AS: Could you tell us some of the song’s backstory? How much or how little did you edit it, during or afterward? Were there any phrases or lyrics you can remember that were especially tough to make a final decision on?

VS: In general I like all the editing to happen before we call it quits. I don’t tinker much with a song after I write it, but then again I don’t like to leave the room till I feel 100% satisfied. It’s not a hard-fast rule, but 99% of the time that’s how it is for me. Garth might tinker a bit once in a while, but in regards to “The River” what you hear is what happened in my living room on that day. No changes. What I do remember debating is whether “vessel” was the right word. I thought it sounded weird. Garth loved it and felt extremely strong about it being “vessel.” At the end of the day, I decided to trust his instincts. I found out years later that his manager Bob Doyle also tried to talk him out of that word. Now “vessel” is my FAVORITE word. It helped me pay for my kid’s education! 

AS: Did you guys demo it or simply work tape it? How did it wind up getting cut and becoming a single? 

VS: Garth did a work tape demo. I think he did it at Kent Blazy’s house. It’s a very simple demo with that shaker thing in the background and just acoustic guitar. The feel of the whole thing is very close to how he produced it on the record just a little bigger. Garth originally told me it was going to be on his second album No Fences, and I was thrilled because his first album had been a big success. A few months later he called and told me that unfortunately, it was not going to make the album because they tried to record it, but it just didn’t capture the song the way they wanted. Obviously, I was completely bummed and figured there went my chance of being on a Garth Brooks record. Then a year later he called me to say this time they nailed the production and it was going to be on his Ropin’ the Wind album.  It all worked out for the best because “The River” is over 4 minutes long and at that point, Garth was GOD and could put out any length of song and people actually LISTENED and loved it. They loved the message.  

AS: Who was the biggest cheerleader of the song, besides the writers?

VS: You’d have to ask Garth that. I personally think there was no bigger cheerleader than Garth. Again, it took balls to put out a song over 4 minutes on country radio, but Garth just knew that song was important to him and he felt people would relate.  

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Across The River by Bruce Hornsby & the Range

Songfacts®:

• Bruce Hornsby struck gold again with this hit, again telling a story from his perspective. This time, it's about a beautiful, strong-willed southern girl who determines to leave her boring, small-town life behind, to the disapproval of her uptight family and neighbors. However, everyone expects that she will be unable to cope in the cosmopolitan outside world and return. This continues even after she leaves. >> Suggestion credit : Mike - Santa Barbara, CA
• This was the last of Hornsby's 6 US Top-40 hits.
• More songs from Bruce Hornsby & the Range
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• Lyrics to Across The River

Comments: 2

• Al from Hollister, Ca My favorite song from Bruce and that says a lot because he has so many great ones. I put Bruce Hornsby and Neil Young as my favorite song writers. Now if he would only tour the west coast once in a while, it would make his fans here very happy.
• Justin from Rochester, Ny Jerry Garcia played lead guitar on the original recording. In the liner notes for his 2004 greatest hits album, Bruce Hornsby said it may have been the second time Garcia ever hit the Top 40 chart (the first being the Grateful Dead's 1987 hit "Touch of Grey").

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Taylor Swift’s ‘Robin’ lyrics: What does the song mean?

Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” has been released overnight, and in typical Swift fashion, she dropped at a surprise additional 15 songs — confirming what her fans called the “two theory” with the release of a double album .

Among those 15 additional songs on the second part of “Tortured Poets” is a track called “Robin,” a piano ballad in which Swift draws imagery of animals and alludes to adolescence.

Revisit our live coverage of the release of “The Tortured Poets Department.”

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This is a song that could be interpreted in a few ways: It may seem Swift is taking a mental snapshot of a child, wishing that child can hold on to the freeness of their youth before its tainted by strains of adulthood — “You have a favorite spot on the swing set/ You have no room in your dreams for regret/ You have no idea/ The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean.” Swift has written a few songs with themes like this, such as “You’re On Your Own, Kid” and “Never Grow Up” and “The Best Day.”

But this could also be a song about an adult person overtaken by childish tendencies and refusing to grow up. Think about lyrics like this: “You’re a just ruler/ Covered in mud, you look ridiculous/ And you have no idea.”

Read the full lyrics here:

Long may you reign You're an animal You are bloodthirsty Out windows panes talking utter nonsense You have no idea Strings tied to levers Slowed-down clocks tethers All this showmanship To keep it for you In sweetness Way to go, tiger Higher and higher Wilder and lighter For you Long may you roar At your dinosaurs You're a just ruler Covered in mud, you look ridiculous And you have no idea Buried down deep and out of your reach The secret we all vowed To keep it from you In sweetness Way to go, tiger Higher and higher Wilder and lighter For you You get the dragonflies above your bed You have a favorite spot on the swing set You have no room in your dreams for regret You have no idea The time will arrive for the cruel and the mean You'll learn to bounce back just like your trampoline But now we'll curtail your curiosity In sweetness Way to go, tiger Way to go, tiger Higher and higher Higher and higher Wilder and lighter For you

Bryanna Cappadona is a managing editor for TODAY based in New York City, writing about books, reality TV and anything Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift’s ‘LOML’ Lyrics Offer a Devastating Look at Her Joe Alwyn Breakup

It turns out Taylor Swift’s fifth track of The Tortured Poets Department , “So Long, London,” isn’t the album’s most devastating breakup song. That slot is arguably reserved for track 12, “loml.”

In the lyrics, Swift alludes to feeling like her relationship was “counterfeit.” Her partner “shit-talked me under the table, talking rings and talking cradles. I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all.” She ends the song sharing her disappointment over the person her partner ultimately was: “a coward [who] claimed he was a lion.”

There are a lot of brutal revelations in the 4-minute-and-37-second track. Here are the lyrics of “loml” broken down, with possible Alwyn references annotated.

Verse 1: Who’s gonna stop us from waltzing back into rekindled flames If we know the steps anyway?

News of Alwyn and Swift’s breakup broke on April 8, 2023. They had split a few weeks before.

On April 10, 2023, a source told People that Swift and Alwyn’s relationship was more on-off than people knew. “They’ve had rough patches before and always worked things out, so friends thought they would take some time apart [now] but eventually come back together. Ultimately [they] weren’t the right fit for one another.” Swift’s word choice of “rekindled flames” in her first lyric may allude to this.

We embroidered the memories of the times I was away Stitching, “We were just kids, babe” I said, “I don’t mind, it takes time” I thought I was better safe than starry-eyed

Swift and Alwyn started dating on Sept. 28, 2016 . At that point, Swift was only 26 years old, while Alwyn was 25.

Chorus: I felt a glow like this, never before and never since If you know it in one glimpse it’s legendary You and I go from one kiss to getting married Still alive, killing time at the cemetery Never quite buried

Swift and Alwyn didn’t actually get married, as Swift’s publicist Tree Paine made clear on X, formerly known as Twitter, in November. “There was NEVER a marriage or ceremony of ANY kind,” she wrote.

Multiple sources told People on April 10, 2023, that before their breakup, Swift and Alwyn had been “talking about marriage as recently as a few months ago” though.

It is possible that Swift could be referencing the media’s portrayal of them in the verse, too. Swift and Alwyn were constant targets of secret engagement and marriage rumors because they kept their relationship so private.

Swift spoke about that when discussing her relationship and how it inspired Midnights song , “Lavender Haze.” She said, “ I happened upon the phrase ‘lavender haze’ when I was watching Mad Men . I looked it up because I thought it sounded cool. And it turns out that it’s a common phrase used in the ’50s where they would describe being in love. If you’re in the ‘lavender haze,’ then that meant you were in that all-encompassing love glow. And I thought that was really beautiful.”

“I guess, theoretically, when you’re in the ‘lavender haze,’ you’ll do anything to stay there,” she continued. “And not let people bring you down off of that cloud. I think that a lot of people have to deal with this now, not just like ‘public figures,’ because we live in the era of social media, and if the world finds out if you’re in love with somebody they’re going to weigh in on it. Like my relationship for six years we’ve had to dodge weird rumors, tabloid stuff, and we just ignore it. So this song is about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff.”

Swift, notably, uses the word “glow” to describe the love between her and her partner in the “loml” verse: “I felt a glow like this, never before and never since.”

Post-Chorus: In your suit and tie, in the nick of time You low-down boy, you stand-up guy Holy ghost, you told me I’m the love of your life You said I’m the love of your life About a million times Verse 2: Who’s gonna tell me the truth when you blew in with the winds of fate And told me I reformed you? When your impressionist paintings of heaven turned out to be fakes Well, you took me to hell too And all at once, the ink bleeds A con man sells a fool a “get love quick” scheme But I felt a hole like this, never before and never since Chorus: If you know it in one glimpse it’s legendary What we thought was for all time was momentary

While dating Alwyn, Swift wrote several love songs that suggested he was the one, from Lover ’s “Paper Rings” and folklore ’s “invisible string” to Midnights ’ “Mastermind.” Swift, in “invisible string,” sang about Alwyn being her destined endgame: “And isn’t it just so pretty to think / All along there was some / Invisible string / Tying you to me?”

She used words like “heaven” to describe the way she saw his love too in that same song: “Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven.”

Alwyn was Swift’s longest and most serious relationship. The couple never spoke about their relationship to the press, but look no further than their longevity and Swift’s past lyrics as evidence of the deep love they shared.

Still alive killing time at the cemetery Never quite buried Post-Chorus: You sent a file in black and white All those plot twists and dynamite Mr. Steal-Your-Girl, then make her cry Said I’m the love of your life

The “never quite buried” lyric could refer again to how on-off their relationship was before their final breakup.

Bridge: You shit-talked me under the table Talking rings and talking cradles I wish I could un-recall How we almost had it all

This bridge contains some of the most brutal lyrics on the album. Swift and Alwyn never got engaged, a sore point Swift sang about in the bridge of Midnights bonus track, “You’re Losing Me” : “And I wouldn’t marry me either / A pathological people pleaser / Who only wanted you to see her.” She also sang in “So Long, London,” that “I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free.”

While Alwyn and Swift spoke in private about getting engaged, Alwyn played coy about it publicly. He told WSJ in April 2022 , “If I had a pound for every time I think I’ve been told I’ve been engaged, then I’d have a lot of pound coins. I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn’t say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn’t say.”

Dancing phantoms on the terrace Are they second-hand embarrassed That I can’t get out of bed ’Cause something counterfeit’s dead It was legendary It was momentary It was unnecessary Should’ve let it stay buried Chorus: Oh what a valiant roar, what a bland goodbye A coward claimed he was a lion I’m combing through the braids of lies I’ll never leave, never mind Our field of dreams engulfed in fire Your arson’s match, your somber eyes And I’ll still see it until I die You’re the loss of my life

Neither Swift nor Alwyn ever spoke about their breakup publicly.

Swifts suggests here she gave their relationship one last chance that she regretted. This last verse offers an intimate look at how disappointed she was at Alwyn, a sentiment all those sources close to Swift and Alwyn never shared with tabloids .

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