River Card
"River Card", that was simply based on-- I don't do this that often, but I … Read Full Bio ↴"River Card", that was simply based on-- I don't do this that often, but I had read this collection of kind of modernist Puerto Rican short stories, and there was this story called "There's a Little Colored Boy at the Bottom of the River". It was about this boy whose parents lived on some kind of boat, like a sharecropping farm that was on the edge of the water. The mother, I believe she goes off and runs away, leaving the father alone, who I believe kills himself, leaving the boy just living alone in his house. He keeps looking out into the river and he sees a boy at the bottom of the river, which is obviously his reflection. It's, you know, the age-old tale of Narcissus. And he falls in love with this other boy. I liked the way that it was dealt with in the story-- it just said he fell in love with the other boy. It didn't say he wanted to be friends with the other boy or he was lonely and wanted a buddy. It's like, he fell in love with the other boy, you know? It's almost like this childhood homoerotic energy, which I remember experiencing and relating to. Eventually, of course, the boy jumps in to join his reflection and drowns. And so it's a song about a dead child. - Bradford Cox

River Card
Atlas Sound Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I turned them all away
I turned it all away
when i leave there's nothing left to say
i won't answer my phone
you call it all you want
river runs and takes the boats away
i thought i'd never see
river so clear and mean
how many others have you drowned?
river's bottom dark and blue
why do i love you so?
river so clear and blue
i'm so in love with you, but you'll drown me.
you'll drown me.
river so clear and blue
what it takes to ignore you
how many boys have you drowned?
chokes me until i'm dead
there are places in my head
that i could never conquer.
river so clear and blue,
i am in love with you.
river's bottom dark and blue,
why do i love you?




you'll drown me.
you'll drown me.

Overall Meaning

In "River Card" by Atlas Sound, the singer reflects on their complicated relationship with a river that represents a lover or perhaps a destructive force in their life. The singer describes how they have "turned them all away," potentially referring to past relationships or friendships they've ended to focus on their love for the river. As they leave, they note that there is "nothing left to say," suggesting that this cycle of falling in love with the river and then leaving it has become routine for the singer.


The river is described as both "clear and mean" and "dark and blue," representing its dual nature as both beautiful and dangerous. The singer wonders how many others have been drowned by the river, hinting at the possibility that they too could meet a similar fate if they continue to love it so recklessly. Despite this danger, the singer can't help but love the river and is "so in love with you" despite the fact that it "will drown me."


Overall, the song suggests that love can be a dangerous force, much like a rushing river that can swallow us up and carry us away. The singer is caught in a cycle of attraction and danger, unable to resist their love for a force that could ultimately destroy them.


Line by Line Meaning

I turned them all away
I rejected all the people who wanted me to stay.


I turned it all away
I rejected all the things that tied me down and made me stay.


when i leave there's nothing left to say
Once I go, there is nothing that needs to be said further.


i won't answer my phone
I will not respond to any calls that come through on my phone.


you call it all you want
I don't mind if you keep calling but I won't pick up.


river runs and takes the boats away
The swift-moving river carries away boats with ease.


i thought i'd never see
I never imagined I would witness this sight.


river so clear and mean
The river, though clear, can be dangerous and deadly.


how many others have you drowned?
The artist is questioning how many people have lost their lives in the river's currents.


river's bottom dark and blue
The bottom of the river is a murky and deep blue color.


why do i love you so?
The singer is wondering why they are attracted to the river despite its dangers.


river so clear and blue
The river's water is crystal clear and blue in color.


i'm so in love with you, but you'll drown me.
Even though the singer is in love with the river, they know it could be their downfall.


what it takes to ignore you
The singer is questioning what it would take to stop being attracted to the river.


how many boys have you drowned?
The singer is asking how many young men have lost their lives in the river.


chokes me until i'm dead
The river's powerful currents can quickly overpower a person and lead to drowning.


there are places in my head
The artist has thoughts in their mind that they cannot control.


that i could never conquer.
These thoughts continue to trouble the singer without resolution.


i am in love with you.
The singer is deeply and passionately in love with the river.


you'll drown me.
The artist understands that their love for the river could lead to their untimely death.


river's bottom dark and blue,
The bottom of the river is deep and dark blue in color.


why do i love you?
The artist is questioning their attraction to the dangerous river.


you'll drown me.
The singer knows that their love for the river may lead to a tragic end.


you'll drown me.
Once again, the artist acknowledges that their love for the river could mean their demise.




Contributed by Evelyn R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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