May 2010 saw the release of her new album, Lifted of the Ground.
The River
Chely Wright Lyrics
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The same old faces, the same old places, ain't nothin' ever new
After the football game we'd hang around the high school parkin' lot
Then we'd pile into a couple of cars and head off to our favorite spot
Down to the river
We went to the river
My sophomore year was a carbon copy of the ones that came before
We'd won the game by twenty points, couldn't wait to celebrate
But our lead car was goin' way to fast and they didn't even hit the brakes
They went into the river
Deep in the river
We buried Laurie Maybrie in the clothes that she'd been wearin'
Her cheerleader outfit never looked so outta place
That sweater and that pleated skirt of blue and white and crimson
Just didn't belong in that shiny silver case
I moved here to Nashville on May 12 of '89
And I started gettin' letters once a week from this friend a mine
I'd gone to school with Christine Thorough from kindergarten on
She'd say, "Hang in there 'cause I just know you're gonna be a star"
She and her boyfriend and a couple a kids I guess she met through him
Set out for the merazine to try to cool off by takin' a swim
There'd been a lotta rain that summer and the current was too strong
I heard that they did all they could but Christine, she was gone
Into the river
She died there in the river
I was baptized in that same water, gave my soul to Jesus
How can such a peaceful place be filled with so much pain?
Cause two young mothers lost their daughters right there for no reason
I swear I'll never go down there again
Back to the river
That mean old river
That beautiful river
That damn old river
Chely Wright's The River is a song that explores the power and significance of a river in a small town. The lyrics take the audience on a journey to the singer's youth, where on a Friday night, there were only a few options that teenagers could do. The song highlights that life in a small town becomes stagnant since only the same places and people are present. Wright sings about how they would go to the river after a game or get together with friends. The river became an escape from the monotony of small-town life and a place to have fun with their peers.
However, the song takes a dark turn when the singer narrates an unforgettable night that shook their community. They had won a football game, and a group of friends got into a car accident due to overspeeding. The car went into the river, resulting in the loss of one of their own. Laurie Maybrie, was buried in her cheerleading outfit, and the other occupants were severely injured. The tragedy reveals the cruel reality that even though the river may bring joy and fun to people, it can also bring sorrow.
The singer later moved to Nashville, where she received letters from Christine Thorough. Christine Thorough and her boyfriend and some other kids went to swim in the river, but the current was too strong, resulting in Christine's death. These two tragedies highlighted the dangers of the river, and it became the singer's pledge never to go back to the river.
Line by Line Meaning
On a Friday night where I grew up there ain't a whole lot you can do
There was nothing exciting to do on a Friday night where I lived.
The same old faces, the same old places, ain't nothin' ever new
I saw the same people and places every day.
After the football game we'd hang around the high school parkin' lot
We would spend time in the high school parking lot after the football game.
Then we'd pile into a couple of cars and head off to our favorite spot
We would pack into a few cars and head to our favorite location.
Down to the river
We would go down to the river.
We went to the river
We visited the river.
My sophomore year was a carbon copy of the ones that came before
My second year of high school was just like the first one.
Until that night in late November that shook us all down to the core
One night in November changed everything for us.
We'd won the game by twenty points, couldn't wait to celebrate
After winning by twenty points, we were excited to party.
But our lead car was goin' way to fast and they didn't even hit the brakes
The car in front was driving too fast and didn't brake.
They went into the river
They plunged into the river.
Deep in the river
The car sank deep into the river.
We buried Laurie Maybrie in the clothes that she'd been wearin'
We dressed Laurie Maybrie in her cheerleader outfit for her funeral.
Her cheerleader outfit never looked so outta place
Her outfit didn't fit the sombre occasion.
That sweater and that pleated skirt of blue and white and crimson
Laurie's outfit was blue, white, and crimson.
Just didn't belong in that shiny silver case
It was not fitting for the shiny silver coffin.
I moved here to Nashville on May 12 of '89
I came to Nashville on May 12th, 1989.
And I started gettin' letters once a week from this friend a mine
I received weekly letters from my friend Christine Thorough.
She'd say, "Hang in there 'cause I just know you're gonna be a star"
Christine encouraged me to persevere and become a star.
She and her boyfriend and a couple a kids I guess she met through him
Christine and her boyfriend and two kids, whom he introduced her to, went to the river.
Set out for the merazine to try to cool off by takin' a swim
They went to the river to swim to cool off from the heat.
There'd been a lotta rain that summer and the current was too strong
The summer saw a lot of rain, making the river's current too strong.
I heard that they did all they could but Christine, she was gone
Despite their best efforts, Christine had passed away.
Into the river
She died in the river.
She died there in the river
That is where she drew her last breath.
I was baptized in that same water, gave my soul to Jesus
I was baptized in that river and devoted myself to Jesus.
How can such a peaceful place be filled with so much pain?
It's hard to find peace in a place with so much heartache.
Cause two young mothers lost their daughters right there for no reason
It's heartbreaking that two mothers lost their daughters for no apparent cause.
I swear I'll never go down there again
I swear I'll never go back to the river.
Back to the river
I'm referring to the pain, not the place.
That mean old river
The river, which caused so much pain and heartache.
That beautiful river
The river that once brought peace, now brings only sorrow.
That damn old river
The river that brought so much tragedy and misfortune.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHELY WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind