Blood Red River
Beth Orton Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Took a friend I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forgive her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?

How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
I'm sure we used to stay?
Is it only a dream away?

Took a raft I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time for my dinner
Why must people always want what they never have?
Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?

How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake?
I'm sure we used to stay
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream away, away

Lost a friend I found down some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forget her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always take but forget to ask?

How do we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
Where I'm told we used to play




Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream, only a dream away, away

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Beth Orton's song "Blood Red River" set the stage for a story of loss, regret, and longing. The singer describes crossing the titular river with a friend, but they never make it home in time for some sort of confrontation or forgiveness. The repetition of the question "why must people always want what they can't have?" suggests a sense of frustration and futility, as if the singer is trapped in a cycle of desire and disappointment. The lilac-lilied lake, which is mentioned throughout the song, represents a lost paradise, a place of innocence and joy that the singer remembers but can no longer access. The final lines of the song, "only a dream away," suggest that this lost world might still be within reach, but it remains elusive.


Throughout the song, Orton's voice is accompanied by sparse, haunting instrumentation that reinforces the sense of melancholy and nostalgia. The use of the word "blood" in the title and several times in the lyrics adds a sense of danger and violence to the imagery, but it's unclear whether this is a literal or metaphorical bloodshed. The repeated references to wanting what one can't have and taking without asking suggest that the song is exploring themes of desire, entitlement, and loss.


Overall, "Blood Red River" is a poetic and emotionally resonant song that captures a sense of longing and regret. The singer's journey across the river represents a search for something lost - a friend, a sense of belonging, a sense of purpose - but ultimately, the song suggests that these things might be irretrievable.


Line by Line Meaning

Took a friend I found across some blood red river
I crossed a river with a newfound friend who I ended up losing.


Never did find my way home in time to forgive her
I was unable to forgive the friend I lost on that river journey because I couldn't find my way back home in time.


Why must people always want what they can't have?
Humans always seem to desire what they can't attain.


Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?
People tend to pursue things that they are unable to fully understand or achieve.


How did we get so far?
This line questions how the people in this situation managed to get so far from where they originally started.


How do we move so fast away
This line is a query about how quickly people leave and move in different directions from where they were originally situated.


From the lilac-lilied lake
The people in this situation are being asked why they moved away from the beautiful lake surrounded by lilies.


I'm sure we used to stay?
The artist is uncertain as to why they are no longer residing near the previously mentioned lake.


Is it only a dream away?
The artist is wondering if the lake and everything associated with it only exists in their dreams.


Took a raft I found across some blood red river
The artist used a raft to cross the same river, but this time they lost themselves instead of a friend.


Never did find my way home in time for my dinner
The singer was unable to return home in time for dinner because they couldn't find their way back after losing themselves on the river.


Why must people always want what they never have?
People always seem to yearn for things that they can never possess.


Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?
This line questions why it feels like a crime to miss someone or a part of one's self that has been lost or hurt.


Lost a friend I found down some blood red river
The singer is now mourning the loss of a friend who they had found while crossing the same river mentioned in the previous verses.


Never did find my way home in time to forget her
The singer still can't forget the friend they lost on that fateful river journey because they were unable to find their way back home in time.


Why must people always take but forget to ask?
People tend to take things for granted and forget to inquire about what others want or feel.


Where I'm told we used to play
The artist is being told that they used to play around the same lake with friends, but they have now all dispersed.


Only a dream, only a dream away, away
The lake and the memories associated with it feel like they are now far away and only accessible in dreams.




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: BETH ORTON

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
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

chanytube

Lyrics
Took a friend I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forgive her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?

How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
I'm sure we used to stay?
Is it only a dream away?

Took a raft I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time for my dinner
Why must people always want what they never have?
Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?

How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake?
I'm sure we used to stay
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream away, away

Lost a friend I found down some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forget her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always take but forget to ask?

How do we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
Where I'm told we used to play
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream, only a dream away, away

Songwriters: BETH ORTON
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: LyricFind



All comments from YouTube:

Eric

it's amazing when an artist can sound EXACTLY like the studio album

Sam Prus

I bought a couple tix to go with my wife to see Beth play in 2013. We filed for divorce before the concert but still went together. Her singing this song during that concert, while I was sitting next to my soon to be ex, was a pretty brutal moment. But in a good way :) Cheers!

Pris

I remember discovering her for the first time watching her perform this song on Jools Holland in 99 or 2000 and being extremely moved. Was looking for that performance, but this is equally as good. Love her.

gwenhwyfar1

This is one of my favourite songs, Beth Orton sings so deep...beautiful!

Richie M

beth told me she loved me once. This is one of her greatest individual performances in my opinion. Just incredible. Ted Barnes is also a marvel.

CSLJ Motorsport F1

love it!! got me through my travels a thousand times.

bohsblur

Best femail singer out there, CLASS.

bohsblur

her best.. haunting yet beautiful. i am in love..

chanytube

Lyrics
Took a friend I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forgive her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always grab what they'd never grasp?

How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
I'm sure we used to stay?
Is it only a dream away?

Took a raft I found across some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time for my dinner
Why must people always want what they never have?
Why is it a crime to miss a part of you that's bled?

How did we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake?
I'm sure we used to stay
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream away, away

Lost a friend I found down some blood red river
Never did find my way home in time to forget her
Why must people always want what they can't have?
Why must people always take but forget to ask?

How do we get so far?
How do we move so fast away
From the lilac-lilied lake
Where I'm told we used to play
Is it only a dream away?
Only a dream, only a dream away, away

Songwriters: BETH ORTON
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: LyricFind

reinaldo ballesteros

Adoro a beth, adicto a su lirica y su pluma elegante y afilada..... larga vida her majesty, desde 🇨🇱 con love supreme

More Comments