Kathy lives in San Leandro, CA in a commune and is the mother of Michael (1970-1982), Melanie (1972) and twins Nicolas and Cassandra (1985). Her primary life partner Dean Dierschow (familiar as her most devoted roadie) lives there with her in a wonderful ongoing courtship. She was very involved in the antiwar movement in the sixties and sang in Kansas City for the first Moratorium. She has appeared as filk GOH at almost every filk convention and many regular SF conventions as well.
Pegasus Awards
* 1989 - Best Filk Song - Arafel's Song (Tree of Swords & Jewels) (With Mercedes Lackey)
* 1989 - Best Writer/Composer
* 1991 - Best Love Song - Velveteen
* 1993 - Best Writer/Composer
* 1994 - Best Filk Song - Drink Up the River
* 1996 - Best Filk Song - When Giants Walked
* 2004 - Best Writer/Composer
Albums
* Songbird - Off Centaur (cassette OCP-??) 1982
* On a Bright Wind - Off Centaur (cassette OCP-??) 1984
* Bamboo Wind - Off Centaur (cassette OCP-54) 1985
* Plus Ca Change - Thor Records (cassette FK1003) 1988
* Plus C'est La Mme Chose - Thor Records (cassette FK1006) 1990
* Made By Magic - with Zander Nyrond, Dandelion Digital CD DD-005CD, 1994
* My Favorite Sings - Prometheus Music CD, 1999
* Plus Ca Change / Plus C'est La Mme Chose - DragonsGate Music CD 2000
Drink Up the River
Kathy Mar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was sitting by a river when the thought occurred to me
There are a hundred thousand rivers that we never even see
They are the boundaries of all we know of truth and right and wrong
And I have written some examples for you here within my song
Some are bridged and some are forded, some are swollen from the rains
Some are the ultimate result of all our joy and all our pains
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
Chorus: You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown!
And through our nation's history, her times of peace and war
An overwhelming wave of misery has washed up on our shore
They did not ask for any fortune, just a corner and a plate
And how they shone with pride and honor as they made our country great
But migrants now are deportees, and more are turned away
We've forgotten it's the immigrants who made our fame today
Our salvation is that flood: white, yellow, red,& black & brown
We've got to drink up that river before we drown
Chorus
We are surrounded by technology, a flood that's rising still
And we are praying we'll survive it or we're sure we never will
And all our speed and skill and reach will soon be taking us to space
It's a great day in the morning for our funny human race
But we're frightened of our future and we're scared to move along
So we scream that our technology is dangerous and wrong
Back-to-nature cannot save us but the stars could be our crown
If we can drink up this river before we drown
Chorus
There's a river of humanity that's passing through your life
There is a sea of heavy sorrows and a stream of pain and strife
There is a river of tomorrow that will carry you away
And there's an ocean full of endless love to fill each passing day
There are rivers all around you in the life you have to live
All the rivers you've been given and the ones you have to give
So sing out this final message to the people all around
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
Chorus
In Kathy Mar's song "Drink Up the River," the singer reflects on the importance of taking advantage of the opportunities and challenges that life presents. Using rivers as a metaphor, the singer acknowledges that there are countless paths available to us, with each river representing a different aspect of our lives. Some rivers are easy to cross while others present difficulties, and some are entirely unknown to us. The lyrics emphasize the importance of facing these challenges head-on and embracing the diversity that surrounds us, whether that be different races, cultures, or technologies.
The song's chorus repeats the line "You've got to drink up the river before you drown," emphasizing the importance of seizing the moment and making the most of the present. And in each of the song's verses, the lyrics explore different aspects of life that are represented by rivers. The first verse focuses on personal challenges, while the second speaks to America's history of immigration and the third considers our relationship with technology and our collective future. Overall, the song encourages listeners to embrace change and recognize that life, like a river, is constantly flowing and leading us to new experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I was sitting by a river when the thought occurred to me
As I was contemplating by the side of a flowing river, an insight struck me.
There are a hundred thousand rivers that we never even see
There are multiple rivers that exist beyond our perception and awareness.
They are the boundaries of all we know of truth and right and wrong
These rivers symbolize the limits of our understanding of morality and justice.
And I have written some examples for you here within my song
I have included certain instances in my music to explain this idea.
Some are bridged and some are forded, some are swollen from the rains
Certain rivers can be crossed on foot or have bridges, while others may flood during rainy weather.
Some are the ultimate result of all our joy and all our pains
These rivers represent the end result of our emotions and experiences, both joyful and painful.
But when the rivers in your life are full and starting to wash down
When the challenges and struggles you face start to overwhelm you,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
It's essential to metaphorically drink up and embrace the difficulties in order to overcome them.
You've got to drink up the river,
This line serves as a metaphorical reminder that we must face our problems directly.
And through our nation's history, her times of peace and war
During America's history, both in times of peace and times of war,
An overwhelming wave of misery has washed up on our shore
There have been countless tragedies and hardships that have impacted our country.
They did not ask for any fortune, just a corner and a plate
Many immigrants who came to America were not seeking wealth, but simply a place to call home and basic necessities.
And how they shone with pride and honor as they made our country great
These individuals took pride in their contributions to American society and culture.
But migrants now are deportees, and more are turned away
Today, many immigrants are being deported or denied entry into our country.
We've forgotten it's the immigrants who made our fame today
We have failed to acknowledge that the hard work and contributions of immigrants have made America what it is today.
Our salvation is that flood: white, yellow, red,& black & brown
Our salvation lies in accepting and embracing the diversity of people of all ethnicities.
We've got to drink up that river before we drown
We must acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of all people before they are lost and forgotten forever.
We are surrounded by technology, a flood that's rising still
We are increasingly inundated by technological advancements.
And we are praying we'll survive it or we're sure we never will
We are uncertain if we will withstand the rapid pace and impact of new technologies.
And all our speed and skill and reach will soon be taking us to space
Our technological prowess will soon enable us to explore the outer reaches of space.
It's a great day in the morning for our funny human race
Despite challenges, we celebrate our human ingenuity.
But we're frightened of our future and we're scared to move along
We are apprehensive about what the future holds and hesitant to face it head-on.
So we scream that our technology is dangerous and wrong
We may resist new technologies out of fear of the unknown and potential negative consequences.
Back-to-nature cannot save us but the stars could be our crown
Returning to a simpler way of life is not a solution, but we may find success as we explore the wonders of space.
If we can drink up this river before we drown
If we can accept and use new technologies while maintaining our sense of purpose and direction.
There's a river of humanity that's passing through your life
The many people who come into our lives are like a flowing river.
There is a sea of heavy sorrows and a stream of pain and strife
Difficulties and hardships are a constant part of life.
There is a river of tomorrow that will carry you away
The future is always advancing and moving forward.
And there's an ocean full of endless love to fill each passing day
Despite the pain and hardship, love and compassion can still abound.
There are rivers all around you in the life you have to live
We constantly encounter situations that require us to overcome challenges and adapt to change.
All the rivers you've been given and the ones you have to give
We have faced many difficulties in the past and will inevitably face more in the future, and must rise to the challenge.
So sing out this final message to the people all around
The author implores her listeners to embrace and overcome the challenges they will face.
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
We must not be overcome by our challenges, but rather face them head-on.
Contributed by Samantha B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@johnburt1172
Wow, I really like that next-to-last one. I'm surprised I haven't heard it before - seems as though it ought to be more widely known:
I was sitting by a river when the thought occurred to me
There are a hundred thousand rivers that we never even see
They are the boundaries of all we know of truth and right and wrong
And I have written some examples for you here within my song
Some are bridged and some are forded, some are swollen from the rains
Some are the ultimate result of all our joy and all our pains
But when the rivers in your life are full and starting to wash down
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown!
And through our nation's history, her times of peace and war
An overwhelming wave of misery has washed up on our shore
They did not ask for any fortune, just a corner and a plate
And how they shone with pride and honor as they made our country great
But migrants now are deportees, and more are turned away
We've forgotten it's the immigrants who made our fame today
Our salvation is that flood: white, yellow, red, & black & brown
We've got to drink up that river before we drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown!
We are surrounded by technology, a flood that's rising still
And we are praying we'll survive it or we're sure we never will
And all our speed and skill and reach will soon be taking us to space
It's a great day in the morning for our funny human race
But we're frightened of our future and we're scared to move along
So we scream that our technology is dangerous and wrong
Back-to-nature cannot save us but the stars could be our crown
If we can drink up this river before we drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown!
There's a river of humanity that's passing through your life
There is a sea of heavy sorrows and a stream of pain and strife
There is a river of tomorrow that will carry you away
And there's an ocean full of endless love to fill each passing day
There are rivers all around you in the life you have to live
All the rivers you've been given and the ones you have to give
So sing out this final message to the people all around
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river,
You've got to drink up the river before you drown!