Diamond Rio released their debut, Diamond Rio, in 1991. It spawned five Top 10 Country hits, including the #1 hit "Meet in the Middle", and went platinum. Their second album, Close to the Edge, released the following year, had three Top 10 singles and went gold. In 1994, their third album was released. Love a Little Stronger wasn't very successful commercially, but did produce another Top 5 single in the title track.
The mid-90's marked both a low point in album-naming creativity and a high point in chart success. Their fourth album, innovatively titled IV and released in 1996, spun off three Top 5 singles. (One of these, "It's All In Your Head", featured a video with Martin Sheen as a fiery preacher engaged in snake handling, mirroring the lyrics of the song.) In 1997, Diamond Rio released its first greatest hits album, entitled Greatest Hits. The album had two brand-new songs: "How Your Love Makes Me Feel" hit #1, and "Imagine That" became yet another top 5 hit. In 1998, Unbelievable was released, giving the band two more top 5 singles. The title track also reached the top 40 on the Pop charts. In 2001, the band released One More Day, whose title track became another chart-topper. The following year, the band released Completely, whose lead track, "Beautiful Mess", became their 4th #1 hit. The album also spawned another #1 single in "I Believe". December 30th, 2005 found Diamond Rio playing their new single In God we Still Trust during halftime of the Vitalis Sun Bowl between UCLA and Northwestern University in El Paso, Texas. Their second Greatest Hits album is scheduled to be released May 9th, 2006.
Down By The Riverside
Diamond Rio Lyrics
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Man, we planned a wedding come spring
Staring right into the eyes of my dreams
Hand in hand, down on one knee
[Chorus]
Down by the Riverside
Down by the Riverside
Down by the Riverside
She said yes as I held her tight
We made love in the broad daylight
Now I know why the old folks say
Get too close and you'll get swept away
[Chorus]
Spring came and turned by baby's head around
Rains fell and now I feel like I might drown
Under the weight of this fools crown
There's a tree down by the Riverside
Once it held it's head up high
We carved our vows deep in its side
Now faithless love makes that willow cry
[Chorus]
Her love turned out to be a lie
The opening lines of Diamond Rio's song 'Down By The Riverside' describe a joyous and romantic scene, where the singer takes his beloved out to buy a ring and plan their upcoming wedding. The singer seems to be deeply in love and staring into the eyes of his dreams, full of hope for their future together. He even goes down on one knee and proposes, describing the moment as being "Down by the Riverside". It's a tender and intimate moment, where the world around them seems to disappear as they focus on their love for one another.
The chorus of the song repeats these lines, emphasizing the romantic symbol of the riverside and the promise of a future together. However, things take a turn as the verse describes how they consummate their love in the broad daylight. Suddenly, the song's tone shifts as the singer reveals that the love he thought was strong and true turns out to be a lie. The tree that was once a symbol of their love now weeps with their broken vows, and the weight of his foolishness feels suffocating. Despite the hopeful beginnings, the outcome of the relationship is painful and sad.
Overall, 'Down By The Riverside' is a poignant tale of the highs and lows of love, full of beautiful imagery and heartfelt emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I took my baby out and bought her a ring
I took my girlfriend out to buy her an engagement ring
Man, we planned a wedding come spring
We planned to have our wedding in the spring
Staring right into the eyes of my dreams
I looked directly into the eyes of my dream girl
Hand in hand, down on one knee
I got down on one knee and held her hand
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Told me she would be my bride
She said she would marry me
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
She said yes as I held her tight
She said yes while I held her tightly
We made love in the broad daylight
We had sex during the day
Now I know why the old folks say
Now I understand why older people say
Get too close and you'll get swept away
If you get too close, you'll be overwhelmed
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Told me she would be my bride
She said she would marry me
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Spring came and turned by baby's head around
Spring changed my girlfriend's personality
Rains fell and now I feel like I might drown
Now I feel overwhelmed and as if I'm drowning
Under the weight of this fools crown
I feel weighed down by my own foolishness
There's a tree down by the Riverside
There is a tree by the river
Once it held it's head up high
The tree used to be tall and proud
We carved our vows deep in its side
We carved our wedding vows into the tree
Now faithless love makes that willow cry
Now the tree seems sad and hopeless, just like our love
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Told me she would be my bride
She said she would marry me
Down by the Riverside
We were by the river
Her love turned out to be a lie
She didn't really love me after all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MEDDERS, POWELL, ROE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind