Rivers of Hope
Colby Stead Lyrics


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Mountains of choices, fields of regret,

Rivers of hope that I haven't crossed yet.

Deserts of desire, valleys of shame,

The dark gray clouds, they drench me with pain.
Canyons of chaos, plateaus of proof,

Waterfalls shedding tears of the truth.

The lakes they are lying, the ocean it roars,

The bitter blue sky, away, away it soars.

The forests are failing, the roots give way,

The trees kneel down and start to pray.

The hills are unhealthy, the air is too thick,

The plants they are choking and the flowers,

The flowers are sick.

I thought we were in touch

But deep down, the guilt alone.

We've hurt each other so much,

And now we both are dead.

Mountains of choices, fields of regret,





Rivers of hope that I haven't crossed yet.

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Colby Stead's song, "Rivers of Hope", set the stage for a very personal and introspective reflection on the human journey through life. The lyrics speak of the myriad of experiences, both positive and negative, that shape and punctuate our lives. The mountains of choices and fields of regret allude to the choices we face in life, and the regrets that can accompany those choices. The rivers of hope represent the possibility of new beginnings, the optimism that we can always start anew and move forward.


The subsequent lines of the song paint a picture of a person lost in a sea of conflicting emotions, wandering through deserts of desire, valleys of shame, canyons of chaos, and plateaus of proof. The dark gray clouds that drench the singer with pain, represent the emotional turmoil and challenges they face. However, among all of these challenges, the tears of truth from the waterfalls and rivers of hope renew the singer’s faith that they can press on.


The song is a powerful expression of human vulnerability, and the complex emotions that we often try to hide from others. It reminds us that regrets and mistakes are all a part of life, but that hope and faith can help us navigate even the most difficult of times.


Line by Line Meaning

Mountains of choices, fields of regret,
There are so many choices in life, but unfortunately, it's human nature to dwell on the wrong ones.


Rivers of hope that I haven't crossed yet.
There's still hope that things will get better in the future, but it hasn't happened yet.


Deserts of desire, valleys of shame,
Sometimes we want things we know are wrong and end up feeling regretful and ashamed.


The dark gray clouds, they drench me with pain.
The struggles of life can feel overwhelming and painful, like a rainstorm that just won't stop.


Canyons of chaos, plateaus of proof,
Life can take us through turbulent times, but eventually we find proof of what we knew all along.


Waterfalls shedding tears of the truth.
The truth can be painful, but sometimes it's necessary to shed tears to move on.


The lakes they are lying, the ocean it roars,
Even peaceful environments can hide something sinister beneath the surface.


The bitter blue sky, away, away it soars.
When things get tough, it can feel like the whole world is against you, but eventually it will pass.


The forests are failing, the roots give way,
Even the strongest things can eventually give way and fall apart over time.


The trees kneel down and start to pray.
When things get tough, sometimes all we can do is turn to a higher power for help and comfort.


The hills are unhealthy, the air is too thick,
Sometimes the environment around us can be toxic and unhealthy, making it harder to breathe or be healthy.


The plants they are choking and the flowers, the flowers are sick.
When environments are unhealthy and toxic, it can affect every living thing around us.


I thought we were in touch
There was a belief that we understood each other well, that we were in tune.


But deep down, the guilt alone.
However, underneath that understanding there is still an underlying feeling of guilt.


We've hurt each other so much,
There have been times when both parties have caused pain and distress to each other.


And now we both are dead.
Metaphorically speaking, the relationship between them has come to an end and neither feels alive or connected to one another anymore.




Contributed by Landon O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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