After two EPs ("The Chambers and the Valves" and "Bible Belt"), the band were signed to Transgressive Records in 2010. "No Rest", their first single on the label, was released in March 2011. They recorded their debut full-length album, "Shallow Bed", in Connecticut with Peter Katis (producer for The National, Jónsi and Interpol), and released it on March 5, 2012. An acoustic version of "Shallow Bed" was released by download only on 17 December 2012.
The band's projects also include creating a charity t-shirt for the Yellow Bird Project to raise money for Asylum Aid (in March 2011) and designing "Mammoth", a limited edition beer brewed with Signature Brew (in November 2012).
Their second album, "Alarms in the Heart", was released on August 25th, 2014.
They announced their split on their Facebook page on 12 November 2015, along with the release of their final EP, Hooves of Doubt.
Peter Liddle crafted a solo album 'Casual Labour' released 13 July 2018, with a gang of his musical friends, including several from the Dry the River family bassist Scott Miller, keys player Patrick Pearson, string-player Will Harvey, writer Matthew Reynolds along with producer Pete Miles.
Lion
Dry the River Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I miss you like a limb.
I close the curtains, shun the working and
I put your record on.
I put your record on.
I, the lonely tax collector, never had
Such a feeling before you came.
And I need it like a hole in the head.
I need it like a hole in the head.
[Repeat: x2]
You took me to the lion's den
And waited for the beast to begin.
The opening verse of Dry the River's song "Lion's Den" sets a melancholic tone. The singer is missing someone so much it feels like a physical loss, describing the descending night as a "blanket" on their home. They close the curtains and refuse to work, instead putting on a record belonging to the person they miss. The inclusion of this detail speaks to the intimacy of their relationship. When someone is no longer present, small details can become glaring reminders of their absence.
The second verse introduces the idea that before this person arrived, the singer was "the lonely tax collector." They are straightforwardly stating that their life was unremarkable and boring before this person came along. The language is intriguing when they say "You descended, I amended." At first glance, it could be interpreted that the singer is saying they changed to fit this person's needs. However, at the end of the verse, they say they "need it like a hole in the head." This implies the changes this person brought about can be painful at times.
The repeated refrain of "You took me to the lion's den and waited for the beast to begin" could be interpreted a few different ways. It could be seen as a metaphorical way of saying this person led the singer to a dangerous situation, or that they took the singer out of their comfort zone. Alternatively, it could be seen in a positive light. Lions are powerful and feared creatures, and being in their den could be seen as an adventure or a challenge. Whatever interpretation is chosen, this line brings an element of danger and excitement to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Night descended like a blanket, on the house
The darkness of the night covered the house completely
Where I miss you like a limb.
The person is missing someone badly
I close the curtains, shun the working and
The person is avoiding work and closing the curtains
I put your record on.
The person is listening to their loved one's record
I, the lonely tax collector, never had
The person is a lonely tax collector who has never experienced such a feeling before
Such a feeling before you came.
The person never felt this way before their loved one came into their life
You descended, I amended
The person's loved one entered their life and they changed for the better
And I need it like a hole in the head.
The person needs their loved one in their life desperately
You took me to the lion's den
Their loved one led them into a dangerous situation
And waited for the beast to begin.
Their loved one waited for something bad to happen
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JON WARREN, JONATHAN WARREN, MATTHEW TAYLOR, PETER LIDDLE, PETER DUNCAN LIDDLE, SCOTT MILLER, WILLIAM HARVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind