The band's website once noted Cracker as "The only band to ever open for both Grateful Dead and Ramones," a unique distinction which is also indicative of the band's sound and style. Cracker comfortably mixes influences and sounds ranging from classic country music, psychedelia, punk and folk into their brand of "Americana" style rock.
Lowery and Hickman are inalterable constants. The band continues to tour (as a full band, and also as the "Cracker acoustic duo").
The Riverside
Cracker Lyrics
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I can see you standing by that riverside
I see your younger face
I see your hair grown all-a-red
See you on chalky cliffs
The ocean breeze, you run against
Orpheus
Orpheus
I can see you standing by that open door
I can see you standing by that open door
See you on Roman roads
Aqueducts, matadors
See you on Moorish walls
Alhambra, Sevilla!
Sevilla
Sevilla
Sevilla
I can see you standing by that riverside
I can see you standing by that riverside
Wearing aviators
Sitting on stones in the Andalucian sun
Galaxy 500
Country tunes, travel to...
Cordoba
Cordoba
Cordoba
Cordoba
Cordoba
Cordoba
Cordoba
Cordoba
The lyrics of Cracker's song "The Riverside" depict the singer recalling memories of a person they once knew, who they see in their mind standing by a riverside. The singer reminisces about their past experiences with this person, seeing them on chalky cliffs on the ocean, and remembering their hair grown red. The singer also mentions the figure of Orpheus, who in Greek mythology was a poet and musician who famously descended into the underworld to bring his wife back from death, using his music to charm the gods.
The lyrics then shift to other memories the singer has of this person, seeing them by an open door, and recalling their travels to places like Cordoba and Sevilla, where the person was wearing aviators and sitting on stones in the Andalucian sun. The lyrics also mention Galaxy 500 and country tunes, possibly referring to music they listened to together.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Riverside" paint a picture of nostalgia and memory, where the singer reflects on past experiences with someone who may no longer be in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
I can see you standing by that riverside
I imagine you by the side of the river, overlooking the water
I see your younger face
I recall the way you looked when you were younger
I see your hair grown all-a-red
I picture your hair as it was when it used to be red
See you on chalky cliffs
I envision you standing on cliffs that have a white, chalky appearance
The ocean breeze, you run against
I visualize you running against the breeze that comes from the ocean
Orpheus
Orpheus is mentioned, perhaps as an allusion to the Greek myth of a musician who descends into the underworld to save his lover
I can see you standing by that open door
I imagine you standing at an open doorway
See you on Roman roads
I see you walking along the roads that were built by the ancient Romans
Aqueducts, matadors
I picture the Roman aqueducts and Spanish matadors
See you on Moorish walls
I see you standing on the walls that were built by the Moors
Alhambra, Sevilla!
The Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain and the city of Seville are mentioned
Sevilla
Seville, one of the most famous cities in Spain
I can see you standing by that riverside
I imagine you by the side of the river, once again
Wearing aviators
I see you wearing sunglasses (aviators)
Sitting on stones in the Andalucian sun
I picture you sitting on stones, basking in the sunshine of Andalusia, a region in southern Spain
Galaxy 500
Galaxie 500 is an American indie rock band, perhaps a reference to music the artist associates with this scene
Country tunes, travel to...
Country music is mentioned, suggesting a sense of nostalgia or longing for a different time and place
Cordoba
Córdoba is a city in southern Spain with a rich history and architectural wonders
Cordoba
Córdoba is mentioned again, underscoring its significance to the singer
Cordoba
And once more, Córdoba is mentioned
Cordoba
One last time, the artist brings up Córdoba
Contributed by Peyton A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.