Beauty In the River
Ozark Mountain Daredevils Lyrics


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There's a beauty in the river
There's a beauty in the stream
There's a beauty in the forest at night
When the lonely nightbird screams
And there's so much time for singin'
And so much time for words
There's so much time to listen
And so much time to be heard
ย 
There's a brighter day round the corner
There's a crown behind the hill
There's a city of light on that foggy mountain top
Where the wind is never still
And there's so much time for livin'
And so much time to die
There's so much time for laughin'
And so much time to cry
ย 
We must all stand in the water
We must find it when we roam
It don't matter what is said
We can wake up from the dead
And roll away the stone
We can roll away the stone
ย 
There's a truth in the eyes of my woman
That no mortal ever knew
She lights my way like the coming of the day
When the sun shines on the dew
And there's so much time for singin'
And so much time for words
There's so much time to listen
And so much time to be heard
ย 
We must all stand in the water
We must find it when we roam
It don't matter what is said
We can wake up from the dead
And roll away the stone
We can roll away the stone (hallelujah)
ย 
We must all stand in the water
We must find it when we roam
It don't matter what is said
We can wake up from the dead
And roll away the stone
We can roll away the stone (oh lord)
ย 
We must all stand in the water
We must find it when we roam
It don't matter what is said
We can wake up from the dead




And roll away the stone
We can roll away the stone

Overall Meaning

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils' song "Beauty in the River" is a poignant reflection on the beauty and truth found in nature, love, and the cycle of life and death. The opening lines of the song evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world, with the river, stream, and forest described as sources of beauty and solace. The nightbird's scream adds a haunting quality to the scene, suggesting that even the darker aspects of nature have their own strange allure.


The song then shifts to an affirmation of life and the future, with the promise of a brighter day and a city of light on a distant mountain top. The lyrics suggest that life is full of paradoxes; there's so much time for living but also for dying, for laughing and crying. However, the chorus emphasizes the importance of finding spiritual renewal and rebirth, of standing in the water and rolling away the stone, a biblical reference to Jesus rising from the dead.


The final verse brings the focus back to earthly love and the transformative power of a woman's gaze. The singer describes his woman's eyes as holding a truth that mortals could never know, an insight that illuminates his life like the sun on dew. The song's final chorus then repeats the call to stand in the water and roll away the stone, an uplifting message that encourages new beginnings and the hope of redemption.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a beauty in the river
The river is beautiful and has a natural splendor that is worthy of appreciation.


There's a beauty in the stream
The stream also has a natural beauty that is worth seeing.


There's a beauty in the forest at night
The forest can be a beautiful place at night, particularly when nightbirds cry out into the darkness.


When the lonely nightbird screams
Nightbirds have a unique and haunting call that can be heard in the forest at night.


And there's so much time for singin'
There are many opportunities to sing, particularly when surrounded by natural beauty.


And so much time for words
There are plenty of opportunities to express oneself and convey ideas when surrounded by natural beauty.


There's so much time to listen
When there is natural beauty present, there is plenty of time to stop and listen carefully to the sounds of nature.


And so much time to be heard
Similarly, when one is surrounded by natural beauty, there are many opportunities to speak and express oneself and be heard.


There's a brighter day round the corner
After difficult times, there is always the hope of a new, better day ahead.


There's a crown behind the hill
There may be something valuable or significant beyond what is immediately visible or apparent, like a hidden treasure.


There's a city of light on that foggy mountain top
Somewhere in the distance, there may be something magnificent and mysterious just waiting to be discovered.


Where the wind is never still
The place described is constantly in motion and subject to change, showing the beauty of life's unpredictable nature.


And there's so much time for livin'
The world is full of opportunities for experiencing new things and living life to the fullest, even in tough times.


And so much time to die
Death will come when it comes, but it is important to live life to the fullest while we have the chance.


There's so much time for laughin'
Laughter is important in life and can be found even in times of hardship or stress.


And so much time to cry
Similarly, there is time for honest expression of difficult emotions, which is part of a fulfilling life.


We must all stand in the water
Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves and put ourselves in new and uncomfortable situations in order to grow and learn.


We must find it when we roam
By exploring the world around us, we can find new opportunities for growth and self-discovery.


It don't matter what is said
The truth is what matters most, rather than what people may say or think about us or our lives.


We can wake up from the dead
Even in the darkest of times, there is the potential for hope and new beginnings.


And roll away the stone (hallelujah)
This line is a reference to the Bible story of Jesus' resurrection, and it represents the idea of conquering death in order to embrace new life and hope.


We can roll away the stone (oh lord)
This is a reaffirmation of the idea that, even in the face of challenges and difficulties, there is always the potential for new beginnings.




Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DILLON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Kim Carstens

Bought this album without hearing it first because of the cool album cover. 44 years later I still love it. Steve Cash's harmonica lives on!

Robert Brown

I bought this album to when it got released and i bought it because their previous album,i forgets wot that one woz called ,it had the song It'll Shine When It Shines on it

Mark Sager

Got that Right... I did the same darned thing! Take care...

Kmartk

Love this song since the 70's! Love the dare devils!! Bring back a lot of good memories growing up!!

Boomslang Jones

One of my favorite songs and record albums of all time. "It don't matter what is said, we can wake up from the dead and roll away the stone (Hallelujah!)"

Richard Symmonds

Boomslang Jones amen!

Greg Corbitt

I played this one night at a jam session with a little โ€œbandโ€ we had. They all said โ€œDang, thatโ€™s a good oneโ€. It always got requests along with Standing on The Rock. Love these guys!!

Liam Mac

Sawing a log as percussion, excellent!
Always loved this band and they have made a big impression on everyone I know who has listened to them. Those first 3 albums are special.

kenny backes

Great song for any morning but especially easter morning! I totally love this music and sound.

ckschmidt2027

There's so much time for singin and so much time for words. There so much time to listen and so much time to be heard. I love this song

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