Ohio River Boat Song
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics
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And in my boat I row
Cross the muddy Ohio
When the evening light is falling
And I looked towards Floyd's Knobs
Where the afterglories glow
And I dream on two bright eyes
With a merry mouth below
She's my beauteous Catarina
She's my joy and sorrow too
Though I know she is untrue
Ah but I cannot live without her
For my heart's a boat in tow
And I'd give the world to know
If she means to let me go
As I sing the whole day through
Catarina your lovely hair
Has more beauty I declare
Than all the tresses there
From Smoketown to Oldham County
Be they black, red, gold or brown
Let them hang to lenghts below
They mean not as much to me
As a melting flake of snow
And her dance is like the gleam
Of the sunlight on the stream
And the screeching bluejays seem
To form her name when screaming
But my heart is full of woe
For last night she made me go
And the tears begin to flow
As I sing the whole day through
The lyrics to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's song Ohio River Boat Song depict a narrative of a man who works all day and spends his evenings rowing his boat across the Ohio River. He looks towards a town called Floyd's Knobs where the sunset is reflected in the water, and his thoughts turn towards the person he loves, a woman called Catarina. As he dreams about her, he acknowledges that she is not faithful to him, but he cannot bear the thought of living without her. He compares her beauty to all the other women in the area and concludes that it is incomparable. The man is stricken with sorrow after Catarina made him leave her house the previous night, and he sings about his heartache and love for her as he rows down the river.
The lyrics of the song Ohio River Boat Song showcase the themes of love, romance, heartache, and longing. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of a man's emotional state as he navigates the river, reflecting on his lover, and singing his heart out. The descriptions of the river and the surroundings are atmospheric and transport listeners to the scene in their minds. The perspective of the singer is also interesting as he grapples with his feelings about Catarina, acknowledging her unfaithfulness but unable to imagine living without her.
Line by Line Meaning
When it's time from work to go
After working day is over
And in my boat I row
Rowing my boat across the Ohio river
Cross the muddy Ohio
Traveling across the muddy waters of Ohio river
When the evening light is falling
When the sun is setting
And I looked towards Floyd's Knobs
Looking towards the Floyd's Knobs
Where the afterglories glow
At the place where colors become vibrant after sunset
And I dream on two bright eyes
Thinking about the eyes of my beloved
With a merry mouth below
Her joyful lips that I love
She's my beauteous Catarina
My lover's name is Catarina and she's beautiful
She's my joy and sorrow too
I feel both happy and sad when I think of her
Though I know she is untrue
I know she's unfaithful
Ah but I cannot live without her
But I can't imagine living without her
For my heart's a boat in tow
My heart is like a boat, tied to her
And I'd give the world to know
I would pay anything to find out
If she means to let me go
Whether she's planning to leave me or not
As I sing the whole day through
As I keep singing all day long
Catarina your lovely hair
I love your beautiful hair Catarina
Has more beauty I declare
It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen
Than all the tresses there
More beautiful than any other hair in the region
From Smoketown to Oldham County
Covering a large area in the region
Be they black, red, gold or brown
Regardless of their color
Let them hang to lenghts below
No matter how long they are
They mean not as much to me
None of them holds as much value for me
As a melting flake of snow
As much as a tiny melting snowflake
And her dance is like the gleam
Her dance is radiant and sparkling
Of the sunlight on the stream
Like the way sunlight reflects off water
And the screeching bluejays seem
The sound of blue jays chirping
To form her name when screaming
Seems like they're screaming her name
But my heart is full of woe
But my heart is broken and sad
For last night she made me go
Because last night she asked me to leave
And the tears begin to flow
And I start crying
As I sing the whole day through
But I still keep singing all day long
Contributed by William V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.