River
Izzy Stradlin Lyrics


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Money flowed like a river
And it all went to the sea
And the tide came rolling back
I saw what I had in a dream
And the wind started howling
And the sand came through the trees
And as fast as it had started
It had come back to a breeze

It all comes right back, you see
And when it does then it will be

Life flows like a river
And we all end up at sea
When the tide comes rolling in
Then your life comes up to be seen
And it's short you remember
Forget where you've been
But as long as you had good times
You can sure remember this

It all comes right back, you see
And when it does then it will be
It all seems too short for me
And when it's done then it shall be

You can run like a river
Till you end up in the sea
And you run till night is black
And keep on going in your dream
And you know all the long while
It's the journey that you seek
It's the miles of moving forward
With the wind beneath your wings

Yes, it all comes back, you see
Yes, it all comes back, you see




Yes, it all comes back, you see
It all comes on back, you see

Overall Meaning

In Izzy Stradlin's song "River," the deep metaphor of the river symbolizes life and the fact that it flows like a river and eventually ends up at sea represents how life ends for all of us. The lyrics depict the journey of life as we move forward, enjoying the good times and experiencing the bad, but ultimately realizing that life feels short when we look back.


The imagery of money flowing like a river is a reference to how wealth and prosperity can quickly slip away, returning like the tide to remind us of our mortality. The wind howling and the sand coming through the trees signify the inevitability of change, how everything that comes into our lives is temporary, and we must accept the ebb and flow of life.


Overall, the lyrics remind the listener to embrace the journey of life, cherish the good moments, and make the most of the time we have. The message is clear: life is like a river, and we need to enjoy the ride.


Line by Line Meaning

Money flowed like a river
Money was abundant and flowing, akin to the current of a river


And it all went to the sea
The money was spent and eventually ended up depleted, like a river flowing into the sea


And the tide came rolling back
The cycle of prosperity and decline is inevitable, much like the ebb and flow of the tides


I saw what I had in a dream
A moment of realization dawned, as if in a dream, revealing what had been taken for granted


And the wind started howling
A sense of turbulence and chaos set in, as if stirred by the wind


And the sand came through the trees
The disruptions of life seemed to permeate every aspect of being, much like sand filtering through trees


And as fast as it had started
The upheaval was temporary and short-lived


It had come back to a breeze
Calmness and serenity returned, much like a gentle breeze after a storm


It all comes right back, you see
Everything that goes around comes around, eventually


And when it does then it will be
Once the cycle is complete, all will be as it was meant to be


Life flows like a river
Life is a journey, much like the flow of a river


And we all end up at sea
Inevitably, life leads to its ultimate destination


When the tide comes rolling in
As life draws to a close, memories and accomplishments are brought to the forefront


Then your life comes up to be seen
One's life becomes transparent and open for examination


And it's short you remember
The brevity of life is a constant reminder to cherish every moment


Forget where you've been
It is important to live in the present and look to the future, rather than dwell on the past


But as long as you had good times
Fond memories and joyful experiences will always be cherished


You can sure remember this
One can always hold on to the positive aspects of life


You can run like a river
Like a river, life is a continuous journey that one can navigate at one's pace


Till you end up in the sea
Ultimately, all paths lead to the same destination


And you run till night is black
One can journey through life, never stopping, until the end


And keep on going in your dream
One's dreams and aspirations can motivate them to keep moving forward in life


And you know all the long while
Despite the ups and downs of life, one can always keep sight of their purpose


It's the journey that you seek
The experiences and lessons learned along the way are just as important as the ultimate destination


It's the miles of moving forward
Progress and perseverance are crucial to reaching one's goals


With the wind beneath your wings
One can achieve great things, propelled by a sense of purpose and motivation


Yes, it all comes back, you see
The cycle continues, as life flows like a river


It all comes on back, you see
Just like the tide, life will always come full circle




Contributed by Ellie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Yoshi-Hashi

Money flowed like a river
And it all went to the sea
And the tide came rolling back
I saw what I had in a dream
And the wind started howling
And the sand came through the trees
And as fast as it had started
It had come back to a breeze

It all comes right back, you see
And when it does then it will be

Life flows like a river
And we all end up at sea
When the tide comes rolling in
Then your life comes up to be seen
And it's short you remember
Forget where you've been
But as long as you had good times
You can sure remember this

It all comes right back, you see
And when it does then it will be
It all seems too short for me
And when it's done then it shall be

You can run like a river
Till you end up in the sea
And you run till night is black
And keep on going in your dream
And you know all the long while
It's the journey that you seek
It's the miles of moving forward
With the wind beneath your wings

Yes, it all comes back, you see
Yes, it all comes back, you see
Yes, it all comes back, you see
It all comes on back, you see

zemoutonnoir

Still the best part of GUNS N ROSES !!

Java Timeline

Thankfull River..... thankfull Izzy....

YT YT

🇵🇱❤❤❤🇵🇱

Mohamed Ahmed

Gunns n' Roses Missed you and Slash ;)

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