Formed in Geneva in 1996, Impure Wilhelmina released a 7”, an MCD, Undressi… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in Geneva in 1996, Impure Wilhelmina released a 7”, an MCD, Undressing your soul (1998), and a first self-produced album, Afraid (1999). On this album, the band plays a very sludgy and monolithic music, but with a very personal melodic touch.

After a first tour in France with Ordeal (Lausanne), Impure Wilhelmina released a split-CD with them, on Division Records.
In 2002, after almost one year of composition, the second full-lentgh of Impure Wilhelmina, I can’t believe I was born in july was released in co-production by Waiting for an Angel and Space Patrol Records (France). Heavy, melodic, intense, desperate, angry…and more…everything was said about this record.

The band toured in France with Weeping mind of Silence (june 2003) and then Overmars (January 2004), in front of an increasing and enthusiastic audience.

The record of their third album, L’amour, la mort, l’enfance perdue, took place in november 2004, and was released in april 2005 through Space Patrol Records. This record is a 69 minutes trip into a large panel of emotions : violent and vicious beauty, heavy walls of riffs and subtle songs structures. A video clip of the song “Before a dream” was shot during summer 2005.

After a line-up change, impure Wilhelmina hit the road with their friends Knut, and are actually touring and working on new songs.

michael (voice - guitar) – mathias (bass) - christian (guitar) - mario (drums)

The River
Impure Wilhelmina Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I divide my age by four to understand what I am

Where's the source of all this suffering ?

Then I add sixty-five years to see what I became

Has all this really a meaning ?

Cause I'll never find a friend among the creatures

That lives in the river of life, I'm drowning

I came because the sky was blue but the water is cloudy and cold

How the fuck would I speak my mind if I must hold my breath ?

I wonder how you can keep complaining

There's no water in your lungs and I am almost deaf

There are too many voices in the river of life, I'm drowning

I came on to wash my face and my soul but the water is dirty and green

Never learned to swim, I don't want to stay naked before you

I don't want to swim naked in the river of life, I'm drowning

I came on that summer day now the water is fragrant and red

Overall Meaning

The first two lines suggest that the singer is trying to understand their own identity, possibly by using math to calculate their age or life experience. They are searching for the source of their suffering, trying to find meaning in their existence. The mention of adding 65 years may indicate a fear of growing old and losing a sense of purpose.

The singer then expresses a feeling of isolation, stating that they cannot find friends among the creatures that live in the river of life. They feel overwhelmed by the many voices in the river, as if they are drowning in the noise and chaos. The metaphorical river of life seems to represent the struggles and complications of the world, with dirty and cloudy water representing the difficulties of navigating the unknown.

The following lines express frustration with others who complain, as the singer feels suffocated and almost deaf from the constant noise of the river. They have come to the river to wash their face and soul, but are disappointed to find dirty water. The final line suggests a change in the river's condition, with fragrant and red water representing a possible shift in the singer's perception or experience.

Line by Line Meaning

I divide my age by four to understand what I am
I try to analyze my existence and personality by dividing my age by four.

Where's the source of all this suffering ?
I am wondering what is causing all the pain and misery in life.

Then I add sixty-five years to see what I became
I attempt to visualize my future by adding sixty-five years to my current age.

Has all this really a meaning ?
I am questioning whether there is any real purpose or significance behind life.

Cause I'll never find a friend among the creatures That lives in the river of life, I'm drowning
I feel isolated and lost in the tumultuous river of life where I cannot find companionship and support.

I came because the sky was blue but the water is cloudy and cold
I started my journey under the impression of good fortune but the reality speaks of gloominess and coldness.

How the fuck would I speak my mind if I must hold my breath ?
I cannot express myself freely in these dire circumstances where I am struggling to survive.

I wonder how you can keep complaining There's no water in your lungs and I am almost deaf
I don't understand how others can keep complaining about trivial issues when there are bigger problems to worry about. Meanwhile, I am struggling to stay afloat and alive.

There are too many voices in the river of life, I'm drowning
There is chaos and noise all around me, and I am struggling to keep my head above the water.

I came on to wash my face and my soul but the water is dirty and green
I came here to cleanse my physical and emotional self, but the water is polluted and unfit for my purposes.

Never learned to swim, I don't want to stay naked before you
I am unprepared and untrained to deal with these circumstances, and I don't want to appear vulnerable before others.

I don't want to swim naked in the river of life, I'm drowning
I don't want to expose my true self to the harsh and unforgiving reality of life; instead, I am struggling to stay alive.

I came on that summer day now the water is fragrant and red
I started my journey on a bright and hopeful summer day, but now the water has turned red with blood and violence.

Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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