Running Water
Cyne Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sometimes I let the stress get the best of me
Empty liquor bottles litter the floor before they were my enemy
Familiar with the taste in my mouth
Mickey Ice from last night goddamn what the fuck its about
But don't blame me cause I need a way out
Only human in my skin
But shit
I can't lie to myself again
Feel me
The monkey on my back grin with a smile
Heaven opened up its doors then I fell through a cloud
A fallen angel
Flip the "L" and "E" and make an angle
But mine ain't right
Because my mind ain't stable
Get it
I stand and I fall
And get up cause I'm ready to run
Like Icarus because I'm close to the sun...

We going down to the river
Down here we alle float
Pennywise in the gutter I'm stealing the boat
let it go to the rhythm my vision is so ghost
vision is so ghost
my vision is so ghost

Though I see peace scarce with abundant danger
Thugs got guns in the air there's anger
Larry caught one in the chest he shot back
Now some dread is yelling for jah to bring'em back

Lost hopes
Boy floats wondering why
Why he couldn't feel real beneat the surface of lies
The night is young but we get old
Some fold when them deep sea tides rise
Boy cries
He's a flock with illusion at night they soar the skies
To land where it's foreign and life's boring
Where crack vials mold a black child cuz life is torment
And vanity be so real that a life's dormant
Then cat's quick to make beef like a George Foreman
Man fuck that he's searching for faith
From afros to cornrows the style of the day
But now as of late you can tell when he wakes
Man he don't stress the hair let it curl into shape
And then grow parallel to a spiritual make he found jah
Sprung by the bingi drum sound got'em high
Ran with a gang that slang to get by
Dreadlocked in a guise chef serving them pies
Eat if you dare fiends walk with a stare magnetic to the rock
That's why Larry is here (where?)
Place unknown though stray bullets call home
Where truce is far from truth it's war zone like
Put your guns in the air and shoot 'em up
21 gun salute illusion as they bust
Larry is the victim crossfire life abrupt
Man I need to go seeking salvation is what I thought
But then I saw peace scarce with abundant danger
Thugs got guns in the air there's anger




This nigga caught one in the chest he shot back
now this dread is yelling for jah to bring'em back

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of CYNE's "Running Water" reflect the personal struggles of the singer with stress and addiction, as well as broader societal issues such as violence and inequality. The song is structured in two main verses, each with its own narrative, but both displaying a sense of unrest and seeking for a way out. The first verse portrays a character who is familiar with the taste of alcohol and feels like they have hit rock bottom. They describe the monkey on their back and the sense of falling through heaven's doors. The second verse portrays a story of a boy who is lost in a violent and oppressive environment, but finds hope in Jah, spirituality, and community.


The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase "we going down to the river, down here we all float," which can be interpreted both as a literal reference to seeking refuge in water, or as a metaphor for finding a way to cope with life's struggles. The lyrics also allude to Stephen King's horror novel "It", with the mention of Pennywise the clown, who is a symbol of fear and insanity.


Overall, "Running Water" is a poignant song that combines personal and social commentary on the challenges of life, but also includes a message of resilience and hope.


Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes I let the stress get the best of me
At times, stress overpowers me


Empty liquor bottles litter the floor before they were my enemy
The repetitive consumption of alcohol has become a problem


Familiar with the taste in my mouth
The taste of alcohol is a regular occurrence


Mickey Ice from last night goddamn what the fuck its about
Confusion on the consumption of alcohol


But don't blame me cause I need a way out
The urge to find an escape route from life's problems


Only human in my skin
Being an individual dealing with human emotions and limitations


But shit
Emphasizes an upcoming realization


I can't lie to myself again
Acknowledging the inability to continue self-deception


Feel me
Requesting to be understood and empathized with


The monkey on my back grin with a smile
An addiction that taunts and mocks


Heaven opened up its doors then I fell through a cloud
An experience of being in a great place only to be brought down


A fallen angel
A person who has lost their way and fallen from grace


Flip the "L" and "E" and make an angle
Wordplay using "angle" and "angel" to emphasize the personal deviation from a spiritual path


But mine ain't right
Acknowledging a deviation from a proper path


Because my mind ain't stable
Mental instability


Get it
Requesting to be understood


I stand and I fall
The continuous cycle of success and failure in life


And get up cause I'm ready to run
Resilience and determination to keep going forward


Like Icarus because I'm close to the sun...
Comparison to the Greek myth of Icarus who flew too close to the sun, signifying a risk being taken for a potentially great reward


We going down to the river
Going to a place of comfort and serenity


Down here we alle float
Metaphorical floating with ease due to the calming environment


Pennywise in the gutter I'm stealing the boat
Taking action for survival, albeit impractical or unconventional


let it go to the rhythm my vision is so ghost
Letting go of worries and allowing oneself to be consumed by the moment


Though I see peace scarce with abundant danger
Realizing that peace is hard to find, amidst many dangers


Thugs got guns in the air there's anger
The streets are dangerous, filled with violence and anger


Larry caught one in the chest he shot back
A violent altercation resulting in a casualty


Now some dread is yelling for jah to bring'em back
A sense of desperation and helplessness, and a call for divine intervention


Lost hopes
Loss of hope


Boy floats wondering why
A sense of confusion and aimlessness


Why he couldn't feel real beneat the surface of lies
Questioning the authenticity of life and experiences


The night is young but we get old
Time flies and life moves quickly


Some fold when them deep sea tides rise
Some people give up when faced with difficult situations


Boy cries
A person experiencing emotional pain and sadness


He's a flock with illusion at night they soar the skies
A person living in a world of illusions and fantasies


To land where it's foreign and life's boring
A metaphorical description of a mundane and uneventful life


Where crack vials mold a black child cuz life is torment
Life is harsh and difficult, portrayed through the imagery of a drug-filled environment and its negative consequences


And vanity be so real that a life's dormant
The influence of materialistic and superficial values, causing a loss of purpose and passion


Then cat's quick to make beef like a George Foreman
People are quick to create conflict and drama


Man fuck that he's searching for faith
Rejecting negativity and searching for positivity and hope


From afros to cornrows the style of the day
Physical appearance and cultural trends do not define a person's worth


But now as of late you can tell when he wakes
A change in mindset and attitude, reflected in daily routines and habits


Man he don't stress the hair let it curl into shape
A metaphor for letting life take its natural course, without worrying about the little things


And then grow parallel to a spiritual make he found jah
Finding a sense of spirituality and faith


Sprung by the bingi drum sound got'em high
Feeling uplifted and inspired by music with spiritual significance


Ran with a gang that slang to get by
Being involved in activities for survival and basic needs


Dreadlocked in a guise chef serving them pies
A change in lifestyle and profession, despite physical appearance


Eat if you dare fiends walk with a stare magnetic to the rock
Reframing one's perspective and defining oneself by their choices, not by their surroundings


That's why Larry is here (where?)
A focus on the present moment and immediate surroundings, despite unresolved past events


Place unknown though stray bullets call home
Living in a dangerous and unpredictable environment


Where truce is far from truth it's war zone like
A place of conflict and danger, where peace is unattainable


Put your guns in the air and shoot 'em up
A call to battle and aggression


21 gun salute illusion as they bust
The glorification of weapons and violence


Larry is the victim crossfire life abrupt
An innocent casualty of a violent conflict


Man I need to go seeking salvation is what I thought
A realization that a change or intervention is necessary


But then I saw peace scarce with abundant danger
Acknowledging the difficulty and complexity of making positive changes


Thugs got guns in the air there's anger
Reiterating the danger and violence of the surroundings


This nigga caught one in the chest he shot back
A brutal and violent cycle of retaliation and revenge


now this dread is yelling for jah to bring'em back
A plea for help and salvation in a desperate situation




Contributed by Ella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

James Moreno

[Cise Star]
Sometimes I let the stress get the best of me
Empty liquor bottles litter the floor, before was my enemy
Familiar with the taste in my mouth
Mickey ides from last night, God damn what the fuck is about
But don't play me, cause I need a way out
Only human in my skin, well shit I can't lie to myself again, feel me
The monkey on my back grin with a smile
Heaven opened up it's doors and I fell through a cloud
A fallen angel, crip to L.A.E. to make an angle
My mind ain't right, because my mind ain't stable, get it?
I stand and I fall, and get up cause I'm ready to run
Like Icarus because I'm close to the sun

[Hook]
We goin down to the river, downhill we all float
Pennywise in the gutter I'm stealin the boat
Let it go to the rhythm my vision is so ghost
Vision is so ghost, my vision is so ghost
(Repeat)

[Akin]
Though I see peace scars with abundant danger
Thugs got guns in the air there's anger
Derek caught one in the chest he shot back
Now his friend is yellin for Ja to bring him back
Lost hopes, boy floats wonderin why
Why he couldn't feel real beneath the surface of lies
The night is young but we get old
So full with them deep see tide rise
Boy cries, he in flock with illusion at night
He saw the sky the land, words boom & life's boring
Where crack vials move the black child cause life's torment
Where vanity be so real that life's dormant
The cats quick to make beef like a George Forman
Man fuck that, he searchin for faith
From afros to cornrows the style of the day
But now as of late, you can tell anyway
Man, he don't stress the hair let it curl and shape
And then grow parallel to a spiritual mate
He found Ja, sprung by the bendy drunks sound got him high
Read wit again that slang to get by
Dread-locked in the guy chef servin up pies
Eat, if you dare fiends walk with a stare
Magnetic, to the rock, that's why Larry is here
Place unknown though stray bullets call home
Where truce is far from truth is war zones
Like put ya guns in the air and shoot'em up
21 gun salute lose ya last and bust
Larry is the victim crossfire life of bruh man
I need to go seekin salvation is what I thought
But then I saw peace scars with abundant danger
Thugs had guns in the air there's anger
This nigga caught one in the chest he shot back
Now some dread is yellin for Ja to bring him back

[Hook]



All comments from YouTube:

Reven Bluesummers

Bro I been listening to these cats for 16 years how does this not have 100 million views? Wisdom is slept on guys keep it up!

God Cee

Yo. Are they still around? I haven't heard from them for a minute.

Mohammod Muhim

Realistically being honest a 100 mil would have been really unlikely but I think this video should’ve gotten a few million views

Michael Dunworth

This group deserves way more respect than they got 💔

CJVP

The real ones will always remember don’t worry 🫶🏼

Frontier Psychiatrist

Forever a classic. Roaming the halls in High School in 08' to roaming the concrete jungles in 21'

James Moreno

[Cise Star]
Sometimes I let the stress get the best of me
Empty liquor bottles litter the floor, before was my enemy
Familiar with the taste in my mouth
Mickey ides from last night, God damn what the fuck is about
But don't play me, cause I need a way out
Only human in my skin, well shit I can't lie to myself again, feel me
The monkey on my back grin with a smile
Heaven opened up it's doors and I fell through a cloud
A fallen angel, crip to L.A.E. to make an angle
My mind ain't right, because my mind ain't stable, get it?
I stand and I fall, and get up cause I'm ready to run
Like Icarus because I'm close to the sun

[Hook]
We goin down to the river, downhill we all float
Pennywise in the gutter I'm stealin the boat
Let it go to the rhythm my vision is so ghost
Vision is so ghost, my vision is so ghost
(Repeat)

[Akin]
Though I see peace scars with abundant danger
Thugs got guns in the air there's anger
Derek caught one in the chest he shot back
Now his friend is yellin for Ja to bring him back
Lost hopes, boy floats wonderin why
Why he couldn't feel real beneath the surface of lies
The night is young but we get old
So full with them deep see tide rise
Boy cries, he in flock with illusion at night
He saw the sky the land, words boom & life's boring
Where crack vials move the black child cause life's torment
Where vanity be so real that life's dormant
The cats quick to make beef like a George Forman
Man fuck that, he searchin for faith
From afros to cornrows the style of the day
But now as of late, you can tell anyway
Man, he don't stress the hair let it curl and shape
And then grow parallel to a spiritual mate
He found Ja, sprung by the bendy drunks sound got him high
Read wit again that slang to get by
Dread-locked in the guy chef servin up pies
Eat, if you dare fiends walk with a stare
Magnetic, to the rock, that's why Larry is here
Place unknown though stray bullets call home
Where truce is far from truth is war zones
Like put ya guns in the air and shoot'em up
21 gun salute lose ya last and bust
Larry is the victim crossfire life of bruh man
I need to go seekin salvation is what I thought
But then I saw peace scars with abundant danger
Thugs had guns in the air there's anger
This nigga caught one in the chest he shot back
Now some dread is yellin for Ja to bring him back

[Hook]

JP Verano

I've always listened to a lot of Rock, Punk Rock, Alternative, Metal and even Dubstep/Electro/House music. I hated Rap.. I never liked any of it. Then my friend introduced me to Nujabes.. the soothing beats and rhythm got me so addicted and opened a new door for me. Through Nujabes, I discovered CYNE, Shing02, Substantial and Marcus D. A shame that I discovered his music months after Jun Seba's death.. R.I.B Nujabes.. thank you for introducing me to great, THE better rap/hip hop, music.

Shelby Jensen

I really hope you're more into hip hop now 🙏🏻

Paul S

Oh bro your literally me lol Same here 100

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