American vocalist Dar Williams lives at the intersection of pop and folk. … Read Full Bio ↴American vocalist Dar Williams lives at the intersection of pop and folk. She fuses many genres (blues, rock, jazz), resulting in a rather organic sound. She has been writing songs and making music for over a decade.

Her studio album My Better Self finds Dar at an unequivocally brazen crossroads. Reflecting on American politics, the disillusionment and apathy of youth, and the female experience, Dar makes no apology for her outspoken beliefs.

Her 2008 album, entitled Promised Land. indieduck.com notes that "Williams turns over relationships in all their misunderstood, misconnected glory, and embraces religion, gender and other complications in her very wise songs. Promised Land draws in themes of nature, as well, and on the whole is a pretty piece of work that ends up feeling upbeat despite itself."

Her most recent album, 2012's In The Time Of The Gods, has a theme of Greek mythology running through it. The You Will Ride With Me Tonight Songfacts reports that Williams got the idea whilst driving on an isolated highway, during a trip from New York to Ontario.

Two Sides of the River
Dar Williams Lyrics

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Two sides of a river
The river rushes through
Two sides of a river
One for me and one for you

We can build a bridge or baby
We can jump in
See what the river do

It's two sides of a river
Great big river rushin' through

I know the tides of the river
Know how fast and how deep
I know the tides of a river
Hope and pray they don't shift in your sleep

'Cause the river bides its lonely loss
It has no vows to keep
I know the tides of a river
Pray, pray they don't shift in your sleep

I was a bride of the river
Before I ever met you
I was a bride of the river
Where it took me was all that I knew

Now I finally found a love to share my secrets with
Lots of things we can do
I was a bride of the river
That's where I learned to rock you

Now I finally found a love to share my secrets with
Lots of things we can do

I was a bride of the river
That's where I learned to rock you

Overall Meaning

The song "Two Sides Of The River" by Dar Williams talks about two sides of a river, which can represent two different paths in life or two different perspectives. The river is constantly flowing and changing, just as life is, and the singer acknowledges that it can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous if the tides shift unexpectedly. Despite this, the singer still chooses to build a bridge, or metaphorically connect with the other side, rather than jump in and risk being swept away.

The lyrics also touch on the idea of being a "bride of the river," which can be interpreted as someone who is comfortable with uncertainty and change or someone who has been shaped by their experiences with the river. It's only after finding love and connecting with someone that the singer is able to share her secrets and truly rock their world.

Overall, the song seems to be about accepting the unpredictability of life while still choosing to connect with others and build bridges across the metaphorical rivers we encounter.

Line by Line Meaning

Two sides of a river
There are two sides to the river

The river rushes through
The river flows quickly

One for me and one for you
One side of the river is for me and the other side is for you

We can build a bridge or baby
We have the option to build a bridge or jump in and swim across

We can jump in
We can swim across the river

See what the river do
Experience what the river has to offer

Great big river rushin' through
The river is large and flowing with force

I know the tides of the river
I am aware of the river's water level changes

Know how fast and how deep
I understand the speed and depth of the river

Hope and pray they don't shift in your sleep
I pray that changes in the river's water levels do not occur while you're asleep

'Cause the river bides its lonely loss
The river continues to flow despite its losses and is indifferent to them