Down By The River
ÄÑ¢ûÑï(Neil Young) Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Be on my side,
I'll be on your side,
Baby
There is no reason
For you to hide
It's so hard for me
Staying here all alone
When you could be
Taking me for a ride.

Yeah, she could drag me
Over the rainbow,
Send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.

You take my hand,
I'll take your hand
Together we may get away
This much madness
Is too much sorrow
It's impossible
To make it today.

Yeah, she could drag me
Over the rainbow,
Send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.

Be on my side,
I'll be on your side,
Baby
There is no reason
For you to hide
It's so hard for me
Staying here all alone
When you could be
Taking me for a ride.

Yeah, she could drag me
Over the rainbow,
Send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby




Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Neil Young's song "Down By The River" depict a tumultuous and desperate relationship between the singer and his lover. The repeated phrase "Be on my side, I'll be on your side" highlights their willingness to support each other, despite the uncontrolled chaos in their relationship. The singer pleads with his lover to trust him and not hide from him, as his loneliness and need for excitement lead him to reckless behavior. The line "When you could be taking me for a ride" suggests that the lover could be offering the excitement and adventure that the singer craves.


The lyrics take a dark turn in the second verse with the lines "Yeah, she could drag me over the rainbow, send me away/Down by the river I shot my baby, down by the river, dead, oh, shot her dead." The image of shooting his lover down by the river conjures up images of violence and desperation. The singer seems to be acknowledging the severe consequences of his actions, but it's unclear whether this is a past event or a hypothetical one. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the singer's desire to escape the madness and sorrow of their relationship.


Overall, "Down By The River" is a powerful and evocative song that explores the depths of human desperation and the desire for escape.


Line by Line Meaning

Be on my side,
Please support me,


I'll be on your side,
In return, I'll support you too,


Baby There is no reason For you to hide
Don't keep any secrets from me,


It's so hard for me Staying here all alone When you could be Taking me for a ride.
It's difficult to be away from you when we could be together,


Yeah, she could drag me Over the rainbow, Send me away Down by the river I shot my baby Down by the river, Dead, oh, shot her dead.
I am willing to do whatever she wants, even harm her,


You take my hand, I'll take your hand Together we may get away
Let's stick together to escape our problems,


This much madness Is too much sorrow It's impossible To make it today.
Our lives are too chaotic and sad to survive right now,


Yeah, she could drag me Over the rainbow, Send me away Down by the river I shot my baby Down by the river, Dead, oh, shot her dead.
I am willing to go along with her and even harm her if it means being together,


Be on my side, I'll be on your side, Baby There is no reason For you to hide It's so hard for me Staying here all alone When you could be Taking me for a ride.
I need your support and we should be together,


Yeah, she could drag me Over the rainbow, Send me away Down by the river I shot my baby Down by the river, Dead, oh, shot her dead.
I am willing to do anything for her, even if it's dangerous or illegal,




Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@uddavkhanal6638

Down by the river Lyrics:

(Oh yeah) I'll be down by the river
Waiting for the good Lord to pass my way
(Oh yeah) I'll be down by the river
Singing songs of joy on this lovely day
(Oh yeah, yeah)

Three singing birds told me
By sunrise He's always there in the morning
Praying and blessing the day

I heard about this little tale long time ago
But never had the faith to believe in my soul (yeah)
Now mother nature sent to me three little birds
Singing a song convincing me it was so
Now I'm on my way
Anyone come to see me this day
Tell them I'll be gone for the day

I'll be down by the river
Waiting for the good Lord to pass my way
(Oh yeah) I'll be down by the river
Singing songs of joy on this lovely day
(Oh yeah)

I heard about this little tale long time ago
But never had the faith to believe in my soul (yeah)
Now mother nature sent to me three little birds
Singing a song, singing with soul
Now I'm on my way
Anyone come to see me this day
Tell them I'll be gone for the day

I'll be down by the river
Waiting for the good Lord to pass my way
(Oh yeah) I'll be down by the river
Singing songs of joy on this lovely day
On this lovely day (I'll be down by the river)
Singing songs of joy
Oh



All comments from YouTube:

@jaymusik1235

Who is still listening in 2025😊

@sherhowell9565

❀❀yep definitely me my mums favourite rip to my mum
Remembering famliy partys with her

@daniellechurcher4404

Same ❀

@tommcconnell69

It ain't 2025 yet, it's 07/12/23

@PhillipCampbell-nv9tl

I think he in the future

@ravielroberts5608

Yess it’s 2025 πŸ˜‚

65 More Replies...

@michaelp.morgan7348

R.I.P PEETAH, you and the Heritage have helped to maintain the standard and keep the authenticity of reggae. I know the good Lord passed your way, so no more waiting down by the river, you're now home. Bless

@frederickokae645

Apt! RIP Legend!

@edwardmanda1201

For real no more waiting

@BrummyKRO

Waiting on the other side πŸ™πŸ»πŸ’™βœοΈ

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