In an interview with www.spinner.com, Sudol shared how she came up with the name "(I) had a bunch of books open on a table, "a fine frenzy" jumped off a page of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' [Shakespeare] and it was just right, though every now and then I wonder if it's a bit ... flowery."
Sudol developed the sound of A Fine Frenzy - hypnotic piano arrangements under classic American melody fused into irresistible, atmospheric songs with the power to reach around the world.
The second album, Bomb in a Birdcage, was released on 8 September 2009. A third album, Pines, was released in 2012.
A Fine Frenzy official site - www.afinefrenzy.com
Riversong
A Fine Frenzy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I laid down wondering where it led
I laid down by the river’s edge
And I woke up in a river bed
There were flowers in my hair
River flowers floating everywhere
And all the fishes came and kissed my feet
They said oh, we could love you
But we are not yet what you want
Because oh, anyone could love you
You’ve got to find where you belong
All my needles, they were gone so fast
Not a needle left on a branch
I grew weaker
And the river strong
I said, hey fishes
But the fish were gone
Now the boulders
I know they heard me cry
But they were stone-faced
And they stood aside
So I went on at the river’s pace
With my eyes closed, I thought I heard them say
They said oh, we could love you
But we are not yet what you want
Because oh, we would only crush you
You’ve got to find where you belong
How does it feel
To be so certain
Without question
Of your purpose
Your position
Of your place
Of your home?
Of your place
Of your home
You cannot catch the river though
It makes you think you can
It trickles through your fingers
While you hold it in your hands
Just like I am
Just like I am
Just like I am
Just like I am
The song "Riversong" by A Fine Frenzy is a poignant representation of the journey to find one's place in the world. The first stanza presents the singer laying down by the river, pondering where it leads. In the following stanza, the singer wakes up in the river bed, adorned with flowers from the river. The fishes come and kiss the singer's feet, telling her that they could love her, but she must find where she belongs. The fish present a metaphorical representation of the phenomenon of wanting to love and be loved by others, yet not feeling fully understood or valued by them.
The third stanza sees the singer losing all of her needles quickly, weakening while the river grows strong. The fish disappear, and the boulders seem unresponsive to her cries. The singer moves forward at the river's pace, alluding to the idea that one can't control their fate or purpose, instead, they can only control how they move with the flow of life. The final stanza sees the singer questioning her certainty about her place in the world while the river runs through her hands. The river represents the journey of life, and how we cannot control everything, but only hold on tightly and let it help us find our true home.
Line by Line Meaning
I laid down by the river’s edge
I rested by the shore of the river
I laid down wondering where it led
I pondered the destination of the river
I laid down by the river’s edge
I reclined near the bank of the river
And I woke up in a river bed
And I woke up lying on the bottom of the river
There were flowers in my hair
My hair was adorned with river flowers
River flowers floating everywhere
Flowers of the river were floating in all directions
And all the fishes came and kissed my feet
Fish gathered and touched their lips to my feet
Dear old fishes, they said to me
The fish spoke kindly to me
They said oh, we could love you
They expressed their affection for me
But we are not yet what you want
But they knew that they were not what I needed
Because oh, anyone could love you
It was easy for others to love me
You’ve got to find where you belong
I needed to find a place where I truly fit
All my needles, they were gone so fast
All my defenses disappeared quickly
Not a needle left on a branch
No defense remained
I grew weaker
I became more vulnerable
And the river strong
While the river remained powerful
I said, hey fishes
I called out to the fish
But the fish were gone
The fish had disappeared
Now the boulders
The rocks
I know they heard me cry
I was sure they heard my weeping
But they were stone-faced
But the rocks remained indifferent
And they stood aside
And they did nothing to help
So I went on at the river’s pace
So I continued along with the flow of the river
With my eyes closed, I thought I heard them say
I believed I heard them speak while my eyes were shut
How does it feel
What does it feel like
To be so certain
To have complete assurance
Without question
Without doubt
Of your purpose
Of your intended destiny
Your position
Your proper place
Of your place
Of your home
Of your home?
Of your dwelling?
You cannot catch the river though
You cannot grasp the river
It makes you think you can
But it gives the illusion of being caught
It trickles through your fingers
It slips through your hands
While you hold it in your hands
While you try to capture it
Just like I am
Similar to myself
Just like I am
Just as I am
Just like I am
In the same situation as I am
Just like I am
As vulnerable as I am
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALISON SUDOL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind