In 1999, Delmhorst released a live album with The Vinal Avenue String Band, consisting of herself, Sean Staples, and Ry Cavanaugh.
Delmhorst is married to Jeffrey Foucault. In 2003, Delmhorst, Foucault, and Peter Mulvey released an album entitled Redbird.
Delmhorst's more recent albums include Strange Conversation (2006), Shotgun Singer (2008), and Cars (2011).
Riverwide
Kris Delmhorst Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold us inside, don't go dry
Dreamed, swam with you, ancient and new
Woke up and knew it was true
River's deep, the river's long and wide
No one ever reach the other side
World without end, without end
Let that water wash away your name
In that water everyone the same
River's deep, the river's long and wide
No one ever reach the other side
Oh river wide, older than time
Hold us inside, don't go dry
Don't go dry
The song "Riverwide" by Kris Delmhorst is a beautiful poetic tribute to the power and timelessness of nature. The river, in this case, is a metaphor for the passage of time, the cycle of life and the ever-evolving flow of experiences. In the first verse, the river is described as being as old as time, which sets up the idea of the river being a powerful and unchanging force. The lyrics implore the river to hold the listener inside and not to go dry, highlighting the desire to feel connected to something greater than themselves, and to be sustained by it.
The second verse focuses on the idea that no one ever reaches the other side of the river. This can be interpreted in a few different ways. Perhaps it’s an acknowledgment that death is inevitable and that we can only enjoy the time that we have, or perhaps it’s a reflection on the ephemeral nature of life and how all experiences are fleeting. The line also speaks to the idea that seeking to cross the river, to cross some threshold or to achieve some ultimate goal or destination, is an exercise in futility because the journey is the destination.
The final verse is a beautiful, almost spiritual reflection on the power of the river to cleanse and renew. The instruction to "take off your skin" could be seen as a metaphor for the shedding of the ego or identity, allowing for rebirth and renewal. The song is a beautiful meditation on the power of nature to connect us with something greater than ourselves and to provide a sense of clarity and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh river wide, older than time
The river has been around for so long, it feels timeless and eternal
Hold us inside, don't go dry
We hope the river remains full of water, giving us the safety and security of its embrace
Dreamed, swam with you, ancient and new
In our dreams, we enter the river as if it's always been a part of us - both ancient and modern at the same time
Woke up and knew it was true
After sleeping and dreaming, we know that this river is real and that it holds a special significance in our lives
River's deep, the river's long and wide
This river is vast and wide-ranging, profound and difficult to contain or control
No one ever reach the other side
The river is so infinite that one can never know where it truly ends
Take off your skin, no more pretend
Let go of all the pretenses and facades that we've built up to become our true selves, unencumbered by worldly concerns
World without end, without end
In the infinite expanse of the world around us, there is no true beginning or end, only the eternal cycle of life and death
Let that water wash away your name
Allow the river's cleansing waters to strip away our identity, leaving us free to become whatever we choose
In that water everyone the same
When stripped of all outward markers of identity, we are all equal and connected under the river's unifying presence
Oh river wide, older than time
The river has been and will continue to be a fixture of the world for so long that it's beyond our comprehension
Hold us inside, don't go dry
We again implore the river to remain full and supportive, providing us with its eternal embrace whenever we may need it
Don't go dry
The river is such a vital source of strength and comfort that we beg it to never run out, to always be an ever-flowing source of majesty and wonder
Contributed by Emma H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.