The River
NEXT: Good Charlotte (feat. M. Shadows & Synyster Gates) Lyrics

As I walk through the valley
As I traverse through the challenges and difficulties of my life

Of the shadow of L.A.
Of the shadow of Los Angeles, a city known for its shadows or negative aspects

The footsteps that were next to me
The people who were once by my side and supporting me

Have gone their separate ways
Have moved on to pursue their own paths in life, leaving me alone

I've seen enough now to know that beautiful things
I have come to realize that the things I once thought were beautiful and perfect

Don't always stay that way
Can change or deteriorate over time

I've done enough now to know this beautiful place
Through my own experiences and mistakes, I have learned that even a seemingly perfect or desirable place

Isn't everything they say
May not actually live up to the hype or expectations

I heard that evil comes disguised
I have been informed that evil can often be hidden or camouflaged

Like the city of angels
Similar to the city of Los Angeles which has both positive and negative aspects

I'm walking towards the light
I am choosing to pursue a path towards goodness or enlightenment

Baptized in the river
Having undergone a symbolic cleansing or rebirth in the water

I've seen a vision of my life and I wanna be delivered
Through this rebirth, I have gained clarity about my life direction and I want to be saved or rescued from my past mistakes

In the city was a sinner
I used to be a sinner or someone who has made immoral choices while living in the city

I've done a lot of things wrong but I swear I'm a believer
Despite my past mistakes, I am still committed to my faith and beliefs

Like the prodigal son, I was out on my own
Similar to the biblical story of the prodigal son who left his family to live a reckless life, I too have made my own mistakes and lived life on my own terms

Now I'm trying to find my way back home
Now I am attempting to return to a better, more virtuous way of living

You're from a small town
You come from a small, presumably less exciting or glamorous, town

You're gonna grow up fast underneath these lights
Living in the bright lights of Los Angeles will force you to mature and face the harsh realities of life quickly

Down in Hollywood on the boulevard
In the famous Hollywood district of Los Angeles, where many people dream of achieving fame and fortune

The dead come back to life
Metaphorically speaking, those who are down and out may have a chance to rise again in Hollywood

To the praying Mother and the worried Father
To the concerned and fearful parents who hope for the safety and success of their children

Let your children go
Allow your children the freedom to explore and discover their own path in life

If they come back they'll come home stronger
If your children return to you after pursuing their own journey, they will come back with more strength and resilience

And if they don't you'll know
And if they choose not to return, then you will understand and can find peace with that decision

I confess I'm a sinner
I openly admit that I have made mistakes and have not always lived a moral life

I've seen a vision of my life
I have gained clarity or insight about my life direction and purpose

And I wanna be delivered!
And I desire to be saved or rescued from my past sins and mistakes