Sister
Over the Rhine Lyrics


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You say he feels it
His face reveals it
My sweet trepidation
An eagerness of my own
A shiver slips through my bones
Can you see cobblestone roads
Running through his stare
He's so clandestine
He's such a vision
So tell me sister
He sits here in this small dive
There's something behind those eyes
Did you perceive the wilderness
Resting there so did I
Laughing he stalls me
Crazy he calls me
He thinks me artless
For not stocking berry wines
From certain australian vines
Have mercy sister
He's travelled 'round the world
He's like a shadow
There by the window
But no man's an island
No man's an artesian well
He loves the cathedral bell
It sings about him




When he goes home at night
So do I

Overall Meaning

In the song "Sister" by Over the Rhine, the singer is talking to her sister about a man that she's interested in. She describes that the man seems to feel something for her, which is evident from his expression. This makes her feel both excited and nervous. She mentions how the man's mysterious demeanor is attractive to her, and she can see the depth in his eyes.


The singer then talks about her interaction with the man, whom she met at a small dive. She perceives him as someone who has experience with the wilderness, which is something that she finds intriguing. However, the man doesn't seem to think much of her as he calls her crazy and artless for not stocking wines from certain vines. Despite this, the singer still finds herself drawn to him.


In the end, the singer reflects on the man's love for the cathedral bell and how it's something that they share. The song seems to be about being attracted to someone who has a certain mystique about them, and even if they don't reciprocate the feelings, there's still a sense of connection and shared experiences.


Line by Line Meaning

You say he feels it
You claim that he is feeling something


His face reveals it
He is unable to conceal his emotions


My sweet trepidation
I am feeling a mixture of fear and excitement


An eagerness of my own
I am equally enthusiastic about this situation


A shiver slips through my bones
I feel a chill run down my spine


Can you see cobblestone roads
Can you perceive the same sense of history and romance that I do?


Running through his stare
Can you see the same depth and complexity in his gaze?


He's so clandestine
He has an air of mystery about him


He's such a vision
He is incredibly attractive


So tell me sister
Can you give me your opinion on this?


He sits here in this small dive
He is present in this unremarkable location


There's something behind those eyes
There is a hidden depth to him


Did you perceive the wilderness
Did you sense a wildness or adventure about him?


Resting there so did I
I also picked up on this quality


Laughing he stalls me
He delays me in a charming manner


Crazy he calls me
He teases me in a playful way


He thinks me artless
He sees me as lacking in sophistication


For not stocking berry wines
Because I don't keep a certain type of wine


From certain Australian vines
That comes from a specific country


Have mercy sister
Please give me a break on this issue


He's travelled 'round the world
He has seen many places


He's like a shadow
He is elusive and hard to trace


There by the window
He is standing or sitting close to the window


But no man's an island
No one can truly exist in isolation


No man's an artesian well
We all need to receive something from others, just as a well needs to be replenished


He loves the cathedral bell
He is drawn to the sound of the bell ringing


It sings about him
The singing makes him feel a sense of belonging


When he goes home at night
When he leaves this place and returns to his life


So do I
I also long to be with him




Lyrics Š O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BERGQUIST, LINFORD, KARIN MICHELE DETWELLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

David J. Cervantes

It looks like the titles from this CD don't quite match up with the songs.

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