Shenandoah
David Rhys-Johnson Lyrics
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away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
away, I'm bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter
away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, for years I saw her
away, I'm bound away
Across the wide
Across the wide Missouri.
Oh, Shenandoah now I must leave you
away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you
away, I'm bound away
Across the wide Missouri.
David Rhys-Johnson's song Shenandoah is a modern rendition of the traditional American folk song. The song is a nostalgic longing for a place and a person the singer has left behind. The lyrics invoke the beauty and the emotions of Shenandoah, the river that runs through Virginia and West Virginia, and the Missouri River too. The song starts with "Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you, away, you rolling river," where the river is depicted as rolling, ever-changing, and powerful. The singer longs to hear the sound of the river again, indicating that they miss the comfort and familiarity of the place. In the second stanza, the singer mentions loving the daughter of Shenandoah and seeing her for years. By mentioning the daughter, the song represents a deeper emotional connection to the place and the people of Shenandoah. The last stanza hints at an impending departure from Shenandoah, but the singer promises not to deceive the place or the people. The repetition of "away, I'm bound away, across the wide Missouri," throughout the song, emphasizes the distance between the singer and Shenandoah, and the inevitability of separation.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
The singer desires to hear the sounds of the Shenandoah.
away, you rolling river
The river is constantly in motion, rolling along.
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
The singer once again expresses their yearning to hear the river's sound.
away, I'm bound away
The artist is leaving their current location and traveling elsewhere.
Across the wide Missouri.
The artist is traveling across the Missouri river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter
The singer admires and loves the daughter of the Shenandoah river.
for years I saw her
The singer has been observing the daughter of the river for many years.
away, I'm bound away
The artist is once again leaving their current location and traveling elsewhere.
Across the wide
The artist is traveling across a large distance.
Across the wide Missouri.
The artist is specifically traveling across the Missouri river.
Oh, Shenandoah now I must leave you
The singer acknowledges that they must leave the river behind.
away, you rolling river
Once again, the river is described as constantly in motion.
Oh, Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you
The singer promises to be honest with the river and their feelings toward it.
away, I'm bound away
As stated before, the singer is leaving their current location and traveling elsewhere.
Across the wide Missouri.
The singer is crossing the Missouri river once again.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TRAD, Derric Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind