MUDDY WATERS
M.H.D. Lyrics
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She lit out this morning
Like a rusty shot in a hollow sky
She left me without warning
Sooner than the dogs could bark
And faster than the sun rose
Down to the banks in an old mule cart
She took a flatboat 'cross the shallows
Left me in my tears to drown
She left a baby daughter
Now the river's wide and deep and brown
She’s crossing muddy waters
Tobacco standing in the fields
Be rotten come November
And a bitter heart will not reveal
A spring that love remembers
When that sweet brown girl of mine
Hair black as a raven
We broke the bread and drank the wine
From a jug that she'd been saving
She left me in my tears to drown
She left a baby daughter
Now the river's wide and deep and brown
She's crossing muddy waters
Baby's crying and the daylight's gone
That big oak tree is groaning
In rush of wind and a river of song
I can hear my true love moaning
Crying for her baby child
Or crying for her husband
Crying for that river wild
To take her from her loved ones
She left me in my tears to drown
She left a baby daughter
Now the river's wide and deep and brown
She's crossing muddy waters
Left me in my tears to drown
She left a baby daughter
Now the river’s wide and deep and brown
She’s crossing muddy waters
Now the river's wide and deep and brown
She’s crossing muddy waters
The lyrics of M.H.D.'s song "Muddy Waters" depict the heart-wrenching story of a woman who abruptly leaves her partner and child behind, embarking on a journey across treacherous waters. The song begins with the singer expressing confusion and sadness over his partner's sudden departure. He describes her leaving like a rusty shot in a hollow sky, without any warning. She swiftly rides an old mule cart to the riverbanks and crosses the shallow waters on a flatboat, leaving the singer alone in his tears.
The song explores themes of abandonment, heartbreak, and the unpredictability of love. The singer reflects on the bitterness that engulfs the heart when love fades, comparing it to the tobacco fields that will rot by November. Despite the sour feelings, he acknowledges that beneath the bitterness lies a spring of love that still remembers the moments he shared with his partner. He reminisces about their intimate moments, breaking bread and drinking wine from a jug she had saved.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals the immense sorrow he experiences as his partner leaves their baby daughter behind. The river is described as wide, deep, and brown, a visual representation of the emotional turmoil both the woman and the singer are experiencing. The imagery intensifies when the singer hears his true love moaning, symbolizing her pain and longing. She cries for her child, her husband, and the wild river that could potentially separate her from her loved ones.
Overall, "Muddy Waters" showcases the emotional turmoil caused by an unexpected departure and the complex layers of love, bitterness, and longing that remain in its aftermath.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby's gone and I don’t know why
My beloved has left me and I am left in confusion and uncertainty
She lit out this morning
She departed early in the morning
Like a rusty shot in a hollow sky
Her departure came suddenly and unexpectedly
She left me without warning
She left me without any prior indication or notice
Sooner than the dogs could bark
She left hastily, even before the dogs could alert me
And faster than the sun rose
Her departure was swift, occurring before the sun fully rose
Down to the banks in an old mule cart
She made her way to the river banks using an old mule cart
She took a flatboat 'cross the shallows
She embarked on a flatboat to cross the shallow parts of the river
Left me in my tears to drown
She abandoned me, leaving me to suffer in my sorrow
She left a baby daughter
She left behind our child, a daughter
Now the river's wide and deep and brown
Currently, the river is vast, deep, and filled with muddy waters
She’s crossing muddy waters
She is crossing the muddy river
Tobacco standing in the fields
Tobacco crops are still growing in the fields
Be rotten come November
By November, the tobacco will have decayed or spoiled
And a bitter heart will not reveal
A heart filled with bitterness will not show its true emotions
A spring that love remembers
Within that bitter heart, there is a hidden reservoir of love from the past
When that sweet brown girl of mine
Referring to my beloved, a lovely brown-skinned woman
Hair black as a raven
Her hair is as dark and lustrous as a raven's feathers
We broke the bread and drank the wine
We shared a meal together, bonding over bread and wine
From a jug that she'd been saving
We drank from a jug of wine that she had been keeping specifically for this occasion
Baby's crying and the daylight's gone
Our child is crying, and darkness has fallen
That big oak tree is groaning
The large oak tree nearby is making mournful sounds
In rush of wind and a river of song
The wind is blowing forcefully, creating a river-like sound
I can hear my true love moaning
I can hear the grief-stricken cries of my beloved
Crying for her baby child
She is weeping for our child
Or crying for her husband
She is mourning for me, her husband
Crying for that river wild
She is expressing her sadness for the unpredictable nature of the river
To take her from her loved ones
She wishes to be taken away from her family and loved ones, perhaps due to her sorrow
Now the river’s wide and deep and brown
Currently, the river is vast, deep, and filled with muddy waters
She’s crossing muddy waters
She is crossing the muddy river
Now the river's wide and deep and brown
Currently, the river is vast, deep, and filled with muddy waters
She’s crossing muddy waters
She is crossing the muddy river
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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