After releasing two albums with this line-up, Sal left due to musical differences, and recruited a drummer for the recording/touring of 'Soul Searching Sun.' Caputo felt that the band's original spirit had left the band, and decided to quit in 1997. After a tour with replacement vocalist Whitfield Crane, the singer from Ugly Kid Joe, the band officially disbanded in 1999.
In 2003, the band reunited with their original line-up and played two sold-out shows before their home-town crowd, receiving great reception. This eventually led to a new studio album in 2005, namely 'Broken Valley'. Caputo came out as transgender in 2011. The band broke up again in 2012.
In 2014 the original 'River Runs Red' line-up returned to stage for several gigs. Their latest album A Place Where There's No More Pain was released in 2017. An upcoming album 'The Sound of Scars' is set to be released in 2019.
River Runs Red
Life of Agony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'cause I can't resist
I've got this fever burnin' fist
That does as I wish
But when I get downtown
And see what's around
I just know there's got to be
A better place to be found
Oh, God help me
The river runs red and I think I'm dyin'
Well I know there'd come a day
When my mind would say hey are you afraid
Well all I know is that I been down here tryin'
Well, I'll bleed on through the night
I suppose I'll be dead by the morning light
So don't be surprised if you mind when you find me
The river runs red and I think I'm dyin'
The river runs red and I think I'm dyin'
Oh, God help me
The lyrics to the song "River Runs Red" by Life of Agony express feelings of hopelessness and despair. The singer is struggling with suicidal thoughts, represented by the razor at their wrist, and a sense of powerlessness, controlled by their "fever burning fist." They are in search of a better place but cannot seem to find it. The river running red is a metaphor for the singer's lifeblood flowing out of them as they contemplate their impending death.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I think I'm dying" which emphasizes the despair and hopelessness that the singer is experiencing. They have reached a point where they believe their situation is beyond repair and feel like they have no choice but to end their life. They plead with a higher power, represented in the lyrics as "Oh, God help me," suggesting that they are looking for some kind of divine intervention to save them.
Overall, "River Runs Red" is a powerful and emotional song that provides insight into the struggles of mental illness and the desperation that can come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I got the razor at my wrist
I have a razor in my hand, ready to self-harm
'cause I can't resist
I am unable to resist the urge to harm myself
I've got this fever burnin' fist
I have a powerful destructive urge inside of me
That does as I wish
This urge makes me act in ways I shouldn’t
But when I get downtown
Once I sober up and come to my senses
And see what's around
When I look around and see the world outside
I just know there's got to be
I am sure there must be
A better place to be found
A better place to exist and live life
Oh, God help me
A plea for divine help
The river runs red and I think I'm dyin'
I am in a bad place, feeling as if my life is slipping away
Well I know there'd come a day
I was aware of the inevitability of this moment
When my mind would say hey are you afraid
When I’d become scared and uncertain
Well all I know is that I been down here tryin'
I've been struggling for a while now
Well, I'll bleed on through the night
I'll suffer in agony until morning
I suppose I'll be dead by the morning light
I will probably die by morning
So don't be surprised if you mind when you find me
Don't be surprised or shocked when you discover my body
Oh, God help me
A plea to a divine being for help
The river runs red and I think I'm dyin'
I am in a bad place, feeling as if my life is slipping away
The river runs red and I think I'm dyin'
I am in a bad place, feeling as if my life is slipping away
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN ROBERT, JOEY ZAMPELLA, KEITH CAPUTO, SAL ABRUSCATO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind