The song was written and produced whilst the duo were staying in a cottage in Ambleside in the Lake District, writing material for their first album.
A sample of Patti Page's "Old Cape Cod" forms the basis of the song: the lines "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air/Quaint little villages here and there", sung in Page's multi-tracked close-harmony, is repeated throughout the song, with the addition of synthesizer bass and slowed-down drum programming. The band found "Old Cape Cod" when they bought a 1950s compilation album from a bargain bin in a shop in Ambleside for 50p. Tom Findlay suggested that the use of only one section of the song's lyric left the track open to interpretation, "giving it a slightly eerie, melancholy quality", although he admitted that this wasn't by design but because the sampler they were using could only record ten seconds of audio at a time. A blues-style trombone solo inspired by the spiritual song "At the River" was performed by Andy Cato to produce a more chill-out track. According to Cato the only reason he had taken his trombone to the Lake District was because he wanted to practice before an upcoming jazz concert: when he wanted to record the trombone melody, he had to improvise a microphone by swapping around the wires in a speaker from the cottage's Alba hi-fi as the duo didn't have a microphone with them and were staying in a remote location. Cato credited this as giving the recording "a real vintage character".
At The River
Groove Armada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes
If you're fond of sand dunes
If you're fond of sand dunes
If you're fond of sand dunes
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
The lyrics to Groove Armada's song "At The River" describe the idyllic experience of being surrounded by nature, particularly sandy beaches, and picturesque villages. The repetition of "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air, quaint little villages here and there" emphasizes the desire for simplicity and escapism from the chaos of everyday life.
The use of "quaint" and "little" indicates a preference for small and cute villages over larger cities, creating a sense of intimacy and nostalgia. The mention of "salty air" conjures images of the sea and its associated freedom and tranquillity.
The song can be interpreted as a call for individuals to embrace the natural world and disconnect from the busyness of urban society. It encourages the listener to take a step back and appreciate the beauty of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air
If you have a strong liking for the natural environment of sandy coastal areas and the refreshing scent of ocean breeze.
Quaint little villages here and there
Picturesque and charming small towns and settlements scattered about.
If you're fond of sand dunes
If you are particularly fond of the natural features of sandy hills created by wind and water erosion over time.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andy Cocup, Claire Rothrock, Irwin Pincus, Milt Yakus, Tom Findley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TrevorPaulo14
I’ve been searching for this song for ages. I heard it almost 20 years ago, it’s melody ingrained in my head but not the title. You can’t imagine the relief I feel right now
@SoFkwHat80
Another as cool as this is Slip Into Something More Comfortable - Kinobe.
@whiskeyrocknrolla4033
I had the same thing happen except I found it after 4 years. I'm glad you have rediscovered it after so long! It's a truly beautiful song that pulls all of those feelings out :)
@Darth_Lollipop
@@SoFkwHat80 dam
@andrewknight8178
I had the same with Lovely Head by Goldfrapp. Man i was so chuffed when I found it.
@HexTV319
Aw man. Like you've taken your first breath right...
@Pitarolle1
My husband and I fell in love with this song when it was the track on an M&S advert. Whenever it played on the TV we would just stop whatever we were doing and just listen to it. I hunted for it in secret and eventually found it. I played it for him as a surprise on Christmas morning and am in tears writing this as he passed away nearly eight years ago. This track just popped up on YouTube after something else I was watching. Once again I just stopped and listened to it. It's nice to know that so many other people have been touched by it as we were ❤
@daDaVoRee
I can feel you on that one....
my wife passed 3+ years ago.
may they rest in peace and wait for us.
best wishes and deep hugs.
@fjbutchbragg8129
Got goose bumps reading your post. 💖 I heard this song for the first time today.. I can see why we all love it ...
@sweetspicypepper
♥️