Shenandoah
Cantus Lyrics


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"O Shenandoah, I long to see you
And hear your rolling river

O Shenandoah, I long to see you
Way, we're bound away
Across the wide Missouri

I long to see your smiling valley
And hear your rolling river

I long to see your smiling valley
Way, We're bound away
Across the wide Missouri

Tis sev'n long years, since last I see you
And hear your rolling river

Tis sev'n long years, since last I see you




Way, we're bound away,
Across the wide Missouri"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cantus's song, "Shenandoah" evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a place far away. The singer is lamenting the fact that they have not seen this beloved destination in seven years and they yearn to see it again. The rolling river is a symbol of continuity and serves as a reminder to the singer of the permanence of the place they are longing for. The repetition of the lyrics, "Way, we're bound away, Across the wide Missouri" emphasizes the distance between the singer and their desired location.


The second verse continues this theme of longing and nostalgia as the singer expresses their desire to see the "smiling valley" once more. The use of the word "smiling" conveys a sense of warmth and happiness associated with this place. The singer is not only longing for the physical location but also the emotional connection that they have with the place.


Line by Line Meaning

O Shenandoah, I long to see you
Oh Shenandoah, I deeply desire to lay my eyes upon your beauty.


And hear your rolling river
I yearn to hear the soothing sound of your flowing river.


Way, we're bound away
Our journey is set, and we are leaving this place behind.


Across the wide Missouri
Our path leads us across the vast Missouri River.


I long to see your smiling valley
The image of your picturesque valley, filled with happiness, is etched in my memory.


Tis sev'n long years, since last I see you
It has been seven long years since I last laid eyes on you.


And hear your rolling river
In that time, the sound of your river has been absent from my life.


Way, we're bound away
But now, I must embark on a new journey.


Across the wide Missouri
A journey that will take me across the mighty Missouri River once again.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TRADITIONAL, ROBIN JEFFREY, TIM LAYCOCK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

MARCOS MATTOS Fotógrafo e Mentor de Fotografia

😊👏👏👏

Charles Moe

We need this so much right now. As someone I know said, “This song never fails to disappoint.”

Shaylen Hasman

Tears in my eyes 😭😭😭 those bass notes literally shake you to your core 😭❤️

Isaac Hesse

As a Minnesota goer who once had Cantus come and spend a day with our highschool choir, hearing them do this piece again is absolutely astounding. It's been my favorite choir piece for as long as I can remember and they breathe new life into it. Thank you guys for this.

phaseblade

loving that baritone soloist's timbre

Dayna McDaniel

Such a lovely rendition of a beautiful folk ballad. This gave me goosebumps as I listened-Wow!!!!!!!1

Andrey Stolyarov

Astounding performance!

Mark Landreth

You go basses! Beautiful as always.

Martine Navarro

Beyond lovely. Thank you.

Barbara Bush

Magnificent! Thank you.

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