In 1960, he started in music with Gibraltarian band 'The Diamond Boys', which had no real commercial success, but played a part in Spain's introduction to popular music.In 1966 Hammond co-founded the British vocal group The Family Dogg, scoring a UK Top 10 hit with "A Way of Life" in 1969. He is probably best known for his early 70s hits "It Never Rains In Southern California" and 'Free Electric Band' - but he went on to write countless hits for other artists such as Madonna and Leo Sayer. In 1987, Hammond's composition with Diane Warren "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (recorded by Jefferson Starship) was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy. In 1988, Hammond won an Emmy Award for the song "One Moment in Time", a song he wrote along with John Bettis. In 2008, Hammond was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is immortalised in song by Half Man Half Biscuit in their 1986 track "Albert Hammond Bootleg".
His son, Albert Hammond, Jr., is a guitarist in The Strokes.
More info: www.alberthammond.net
Down By The River
Albert Hammond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pitched our tent on a patch of ground down by the river
Lit a fire and drank some wine you put your jeans on top of mine
I said: Come in
The water's fine
Down by the river
Down by the river
Said: Come in the water's fine down by the river
Didn't feel too good all night
So we took a walk in the morning light
And came across the strangest sight down by the river
Silver fish lay on its side it was washed up by the early tide
I wonder how it died?
Down by the river
Down by the river
Down by the river, silver fish lay on its side
The doctor put us both to bed
He doesed us up and he shook his head
Only foolish people go
He said
Down by the river
The mighty willows weep
Said he
Because they're dying gradually
From the waste from the factories
Down by the river
Down by the river
Down by the river
The mighty willows weep, said he down by the river
And in time the riverbanks will die
The reeds will wilt and the ducks won't fly
There'll be a tear in the otter's eye down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead
And where the otter raised his head
Will be a clean
White skull instead
Down by the river
Down by the river
Down by the river, the banks will soon be black and dead
Down by the river
Down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead, down by the river
The song "Down by the River" by Albert Hammond is a cautionary tale about the impact of human activity on the environment. The first verse describes a couple who are tired of city life and decide to spend a weekend camping by the river. They enjoy themselves, drinking wine and swimming in the river. However, the second verse takes a darker turn when they discover a dead fish washed up on the river bank. They seek medical attention, and the doctor warns them of the dangers of pollution and environmental degradation. The final verse predicts a bleak future for the river, with the banks dying, the reeds wilting, and the otters disappearing. The song is a reminder that humans need to take care of the natural world and protect it from harm.
Line by Line Meaning
City life was getting us down so we spent a weekend out town
We were tired of life in the city, so we decided to go out of town for the weekend.
Pitched our tent on a patch of ground down by the river
We put up our tent in a specific spot next to the river.
Lit a fire and drank some wine you put your jeans on top of mine
We started a fire and shared a bottle of wine. You put your jeans on top of mine and we got closer.
I said: Come in
The water's fine
I asked you to come in the water with me because it was warm and nice.
Said: Come in the water's fine down by the river
I repeated my invitation for you to join me, emphasizing the pleasant conditions.
Didn't feel too good all night
So we took a walk in the morning light
And came across the strangest sight down by the river
Silver fish lay on its side it was washed up by the early tide
I wonder how it died?
I didn't feel well throughout the night after drinking wine. But in the morning, while we were walking, we discovered a dead silver fish that was washed up by the early tide. We wondered how it died.
The doctor put us both to bed
He doesed us up and he shook his head
Only foolish people go
He said
Down by the river
The mighty willows weep
Said he
Because they're dying gradually
From the waste from the factories
After we went to see the doctor, he medicated us and scolded us for being foolish enough to spend time by the river. He explained that the willow trees are crying because they're slowly dying from pollution caused by factories.
And in time the riverbanks will die
The reeds will wilt and the ducks won't fly
There'll be a tear in the otter's eye down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead
And where the otter raised his head
Will be a clean
White skull instead
Eventually, the riverbanks will die, the reeds will wither, and the ducks won't be able to fly anymore. The otters will be saddened by what's happening, and there will be dead banks. The spot where the otter used to be will only have a clean, white skull.
Down by the river
Down by the river
The banks will soon be black and dead, down by the river
The area around the river will soon become polluted and lifeless.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALBERT HAMMOND, MIKE HAZLEWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind