Growing up just outside of Philadelphia, Dana always relished her nearness to a city with so much soul. By age 13, she was already writing songs, the first of which was inspired by her voice teacher, Paul Adkins, whom she credits with encouraging her to write for herself. She went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music, blending the urban vibe of Philadelphia with her raw, emotional delivery and a pop sensibility for writing memorable hooks. The result is a voice that effortlessly cuts across musical genres and trends, evident when considering Parish's eclectic mix of influences, including Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Pat Benatar, Carole King, Billy Preston, Patty Griffin, Sheryl Crow and Damien Rice to name a few.
Parish is no stranger to performing on stage, with concert appearances ranging from club gigs to singing backup at Madison Square Garden. She feels most at home, though, honing her craft at intimate venues that compliment her organic, thoughtful music, such as The Living Room in New York, Hotel Café in Los Angeles, and New York's legendary Bottom Line. She also played a sold-out concert at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival alongside cult musician Donovan, and The Frames bandmate Glen Hansard, star of the recent hit film Once. These live appearances have earned Parish quite a following, most evident on the internet where her MySpace page has risen to the top of both the Pop and Acoustic charts, having received an incredible 150,000 plays for Uncrushed's first single, “Not My Problem,” a piano-laden breakup song that is currently receiving radio airplay.
In addition to planning her first tour in support of Uncrushed, Parish recently filmed a segment for PBS's “Simple Living” program, a one hour sold-out concert performance and interview that will air pegged to the release of the album in early 2008. Parish was approached for this-her very own PBS special-after the show's producer attended a live concert and was so impressed by Parish's pure and honest delivery that she immediately booked her for the show.
Uncrushed, recorded at the art house/indie Sugarbox Studios in New York City, was produced and co-written by Parish's longtime collaborator Andrew Hollander, a noted producer, songwriter, film composer, and musician from New York City. Hollander's recent credits include the original score and end title song for the breakout independent hit film, Waitress, released by Fox Searchlight Pictures and directed by the late Adrienne Shelly, a close friend of their's who served as the inspiration for one of Uncrushed's most heartfelt tracks, a tribute song titled “We Got Angels.” Parish and Hollander worked closely on the concept for the album, and his immense writing, producing, and instrumental talents are an invaluable contribution to Parish's debut.
The songs of Uncrushed make good on Hollander's claim that Parish is “one of the most gifted singer/songwriters we've seen in a very, very long time.” Her writing is sincere and revealing but never sensational. Take, for instance, the aching honesty of “Frustrated,” where the singer confesses to having momentary crises of conscience; or the raw emotion of “We Fall Down,” just one of many tracks that grant the listener access into the beauty and despair of Parish's take on life. And she has the ability to surprise you too, as on “She Laughed,” a poignant ode to the father-daughter connection. As a debut, Uncrushed offers Parish's searing yet hopeful view of the world.
The River
Dana Parish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It opens up its arms and holds you just like a child
The river is wise
It tells you where to go, it shows you which way to fly
You don't know where it all went wrong
Was a miracle just supposed to fall?
Stop your running and look behind you
The river runs dry
The river is deep
It holds onto the secrets we all try to keep
And time never slows
You can see your reflection and then away it goes
You don't know where it all went wrong
Was a miracle just supposed to fall?
Stop your running and look behind you
A minute goes by and the river runs dry
The river runs dry
It was beautiful but you worried it away
It was nothin' but a warm summer day
The river is long
All you gotta do is listen to hear her song
You don't know where it all went wrong
Was a miracle just supposed to fall?
Stop your running and look behind you
A minute goes by and the river runs dry
The river runs dry
The song "The River" sung by Dana Parish is a poignant conversation between the singer and the river. The singer looks to the river for guidance and comfort while the river is portrayed as wise, deep, and holding onto secrets that people try to keep. The river is wide and opens up its arms to hold you as a child. It tells you where to go, and it shows you which way to fly. The singer is unsure of what went wrong and wonders if a miracle was just supposed to fall. She urges people to stop running and look behind them before the river runs dry.
The river is portrayed as a metaphor for our lives. It is steady, constant, and keeps flowing, much like time. The song encourages people to listen to the song of the river to find direction and solace. It tells us that we must appreciate the beauty that we have and not worry it away.
"The River" is an emotional song that strikes a chord with the audience. The melody is soothing and adds to the peaceful contemplation of the song. The lyrics are profound and force one to think about their lives and the direction they are headed towards. The song provides the listener with a feeling of comfort and hope, while also reminding them to be grateful for what they have.
Line by Line Meaning
The river is wide
The river is expansive and all-encompassing.
It opens up its arms and holds you just like a child
The river is nurturing and comforting, like a parent embracing their child.
The river is wise
The river has invaluable knowledge and insight.
It tells you where to go, it shows you which way to fly
The river can guide you and offer direction when you need it most.
You don't know where it all went wrong
You're uncertain about how things took a turn for the worse.
Was a miracle just supposed to fall?
Were you expecting things to just magically work out without putting in effort?
Stop your running and look behind you
Pause, reflect on the past, and observe what led you to where you are now.
A minute goes by and the river runs dry
Time passes quickly and the opportunities that the river offered may disappear if not taken advantage of.
The river runs dry
The chances that the river once provided may no longer be available.
The river is deep
The river holds many hidden secrets and complexities.
It holds onto the secrets we all try to keep
The river is a keeper of hidden feelings and information that we try to hide from others.
And time never slows
Time continually moves forward and waits for no one, no matter how desperately we try to hold on to it.
You can see your reflection and then away it goes
You can catch a glimpse of yourself in the river, but it quickly fades away, reminding you that nothing lasts forever.
It was beautiful but you worried it away
Something that was once beautiful was ruined due to excessive worrying and anxiety.
It was nothin' but a warm summer day
Something that seemed insignificant or routine at the time turned out to hold great value.
The river is long
The river has a long journey ahead of it, full of twists and turns.
All you gotta do is listen to hear her song
All you need to do is listen closely to the river in order to benefit from its guidance and wisdom.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DANA PARISH, ANDREW HOLLANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wendy Henderson
I am Thankfully in treatment now with Dr. Daniel Kinderlehrer. I am improving slowly from mold illness and Lyme complex. It has been an incredibly long frustrating road. I experienced so much medical gas lighting. This interview brought me to tears. To have this discussed in the open is so important. It has been the most painful, lonely, and challenging experience of my life. Thank you to all of you!♥️
Ecogoddess B
Thank all 3 of you for being a beacon of truth during all of the insanity of the pandemic and also the insanity of our corrupt medical systems. You are true healers, and my hope is that more people will find you and others like you and we can all come together to make a positive change and find healing for so many who are sick and suffering. Thank you so much! ❤
K D
Beacon of truth? Like the only light that been be seen?
TMesser74
If Lyme literate doctors went through our psychiatric wards and did some exams and testing, I bet we would find answers for many of our psychiatric patients and their families as to the cause of their condition. The default psychiatric diagnosis is a lazy and pathetic Diagnosis akin to SIDS. SIDS means “I don’t know what killed your baby.” Based on my personal experience, I believe a lot of psych patients have undiagnosed vector born pathogens and until they step out and find a doctor that is willing to listen, they will never find answers .
RFK Jr. 2024 ⚖️
So true. Thanks for sharing this.
Lou Armstrong
Someone told an old coworker he was psycho when he had pancreatitis..said he was making his symptoms up
Amanda Wiese
So true!!
Among other possibilities.. like spiritual...
robinhood 46
@Lou Armstrong I was told i need psychiatric help because i was complaining of excruciating kidney pain. I was pissing blood, proteins and crystals, but i didn't have a kidney stone, so it was "in my head".
It is not a surprise it took 7 years to be at last diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, with doctors who talk so much crap.
Lou Armstrong
This sounds like a good idea, but not just Lyme but other diseases as well
Bo Koler
Thank you Mrs. Parish, Dr. Phillips and Dr. Syed for your encouraging dialog, and all the important findings, correlations you collected to share with us. 🙏🏿❤️
“It is really amazing what people can do. Only they don’t know what they can do.” Milton H. Erickson