Banks of the River Jordan
Aaron Neville Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I traveled the banks of the River of Jordan
To find where it flows to the sea.
I looked in the eyes of the cold and the hungry
And I saw I was looking at me.
I wanted to know if life had a purpose
And what it all means in the end.
In the silence I listened to voices inside me
And they told me again and again.

The is only one river. There is only one sea.
And it flows through you, and it flows through me.
There is only one people. We are one and the same.
We are all one spirit. We are all one name.
We are the father, mother, daughter and son.
From the dawn of creation, we are one.
We are one.

Every blade of grass on the mountain
Every drop in the sea
Every cry of a newborn baby
Every prayer to be free
Every hope at the end of a rainbow
Every song ever sung
Is a part of the family of woman and man
And that means everyone.

We are only one river. We are only one sea.
And it flows through you, and it flows through me.
We are only one people. We are one and the same.
We are all one spirit. We are all one name.
We are the father, mother, daughter and son




From the dawn of creation, we are one.
We are one.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Aaron Neville's song "Banks of the River Jordan" reflect a search for meaning and understanding in life. The singer describes his journey along the river, seeking answers to existential questions. When he comes across those who are cold and hungry, he realizes that they are not separate from him - he is looking at himself. Through the silence, he hears the voices within him that remind him that we are all connected. The river, the sea, the people - they are all one and the same. Every being and every experience is part of the same human family. We are one spirit, one name, one father, mother, daughter, and son, from the beginning of time.


The song speaks to the human experience of searching for identity and purpose. It hints at a spiritual connection between all people and all things, and encourages us to see ourselves in each other. The imagery of the river and sea suggests a cyclical nature of life, where everything is connected and flows together in one direction. The repeated phrase, "we are one," emphasizes this unity and reminds us of our shared humanity.


Line by Line Meaning

I traveled the banks of the River of Jordan
I journeyed along the riverbanks of the Jordan River


To find where it flows to the sea.
In search of where it eventually empties into the ocean.


I looked in the eyes of the cold and the hungry
I gazed into the eyes of those who were suffering from poverty and hunger


And I saw I was looking at me.
And I realized that they were no different from me.


I wanted to know if life had a purpose
I desired to understand the meaning and significance of life


And what it all means in the end.
And what the ultimate conclusion of existence entails.


In the silence I listened to voices inside me
Amid the quietness, I attuned myself to the inner voices within me


And they told me again and again.
Which iterated frequently and became clear to me.


The is only one river. There is only one sea.
The river and sea are singular and not divided


And it flows through you, and it flows through me.
The river and sea courses through us all.


There is only one people. We are one and the same.
There exists one humanity. We share identical traits.


We are all one spirit. We are all one name.
We possess a unified spirit with identical nomenclatures.


We are the father, mother, daughter and son.
We are familial offspring.


From the dawn of creation, we are one.
Since the morning of existence, we have forever been one.


Every blade of grass on the mountain
Every single green blade of grass atop the mountain


Every drop in the sea
Every individual droplet inside the ocean


Every cry of a newborn baby
Every infant's initial wail after birth


Every prayer to be free
All desires for emancipation from suffering


Every hope at the end of a rainbow
Every aspiration at the conclusion to a rainbow


Every song ever sung
Each and every melodic composition performed


Is a part of the family of woman and man
They form an interconnected and related group of humanity


And that means everyone.
Implying every single being.


We are only one river. We are only one sea.
The river and sea are singular and not divided


And it flows through you, and it flows through me.
The river and sea courses through us all.


We are only one people. We are one and the same.
There exists one humanity. We share identical traits.


We are all one spirit. We are all one name.
We possess a unified spirit with identical nomenclatures.


We are the father, mother, daughter and son
We are familial offspring.


From the dawn of creation, we are one.
Since the morning of existence, we have forever been one.


We are one.
We are inextricably bound as a single entity.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DP, AARON JOSEPH NEVILLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Rolonda Smith

I played this song non stop after the Lord called my mama home to glory. I didn't know how to go on without her. But God spoke to and comforted my heart. Thank you Lord for the mama that you gave me. I miss and love you mama.

More Versions