The song tells the story of a woman deserted by her lover when she needs him the most.
The first historical record of the song was by ethnomusicologist John Lomax in 1908, who recorded it as sung by an African American woman called Dink, as she washed her man’s clothes in a tent camp of migratory levee-builders on the bank of the Brazos River, a few miles from College Station, Texas and Texas A&M College.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dink’s_Song
Fare Thee Well
Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd fly the river to the one I love
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Well, I had a man, who was long and tall
He moved his body like a cannon ball
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
And in my heart was an achin' pain
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Muddy river was muddy and wild
Can't give a bloody for my unborn child
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
So show us a bird flying high above
Life ain't worth living without the one you love
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
And fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
The lyrics of Fare Thee Well are a somber and longing love song. The singer addresses their lover with a wishful desire for the ability to fly like Noah's dove to be with the one they love. The singer recalls a man who they used to love, who was tall and moved like a cannonball. Despite the lost love, the singer remembers a moment when they stood in the pouring rain with an aching pain in their heart. The singer then reflects that the muddy river was wild and unconcerned for their unborn child. The song then concludes with the singer acknowledging that life is not worth living without the one you love.
These lyrics capture the essence of a love that has been lost, where the river of life flows regardless of the individual's circumstances. The longing for physical flight to be with one's love and the recognition that life has little value without love showcases the depths of emotion that this song conveys. The singer's memories of their former lover are bittersweet, and their recognition of the uncontrollable nature of life and love gives a sense of futility that many can relate to. Overall, the lyrics of Fare Thee Well are a moving tribute to the power of love and the pain of its absence.
Line by Line Meaning
If I had wings like Noah's dove
If only I could fly like a bird to reach my love
I'd fly the river to the one I love
I'd cross any obstacle to be with the one I love
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Goodbye my beloved, I'll miss you deeply
Well, I had a man, who was long and tall
I had a lover who was tall and handsome
He moved his body like a cannon ball
His physical presence was mighty and powerful
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Goodbye my beloved, I'll miss you deeply
I remember one evening in the pouring rain
I recall a specific moment where I was deeply affected
And in my heart was an achin' pain
My heart was filled with a painful longing
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Goodbye my beloved, I'll miss you deeply
Muddy river was muddy and wild
The river was treacherous and uncontrollable
Can't give a bloody for my unborn child
I can’t fathom bringing a child into such a difficult situation
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Goodbye my beloved, I'll miss you deeply
So show us a bird flying high above
Please give us a sign of hope and love
Life ain't worth living without the one you love
Life is meaningless without the one you love
Oh fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Goodbye my beloved, I'll miss you deeply
And fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
And again, goodbye my beloved, I'll miss you deeply
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Marcus Oliver Johnstone Mumford, Joseph Henry Burnett, Oscar Isaac, Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joshuabrown3654
If I had wings like Noah's dove
I'd fly the river to the one I love
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Well, I had a man, who was long and tall
He moved his body like a cannon ball
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
I remember one evening in the pouring rain
And in my heart was an achin' pain
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Muddy river was muddy and wild
Can't give a bloody for my unborn child
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
So show us a bird flying high above
Life ain't worth living without the one you love
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
@JSHayward3
Wish Oscar Isaac wasn't so buried in the mix. Man is pulling some sweet harmony here.
@mf5202
Problem is Mumford sings with some serious volume. Happens quite often.
@matsosa
Well, to be fair, his voice isn’t supposed to be so overpowering. That’s why he was singing low in the first place. Sometimes, to achieve that sweet harmony, you need to be faint. But I do agree that his voice was a little too low. The studio version does the song a better justice🎶🎶❤️
@MindGameStudios
If he'd just been, like, 6 inches closer to the mic...
@jaysakong
yeah unfortunately not much the sound guy can do when theyre singing into the same microphone
@carmencaamano9434
@@mf5202 no, no, no
@louisee7339
Wherever Oscar Isaac is I hope he's warm and well fed. x
@jessiearturothunder8768
I've been soothing my son to this almost every night since he was 15 minutes old he's 15 months old and the second he hears this he put his head on my lap he and I both love it
@loripatrick4652
What do you get when the Coen Brothers, T Bone Burnett, Oscar Isaac, Mumford & sons and the Punch Brothers come together: Absolute joy. Pure musical joy.
@betsytaylor9929
+Lori Patrick Totally agree! It gets no better than this!