River
P.J. Harvey Lyrics
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The riverbanks and the friends I used to meet
Getting drunk on stingy liquer
The smell of burning driftwood at my feet
We felt like brothers
Stared into the flames
We yelled and shivered
As we stormed into the waves
Time washed away our names
The water moves so slow
Till we're caught by the undertow
Down the river
Down the river
We're floating down the river and let go
I recall those nights together
The sweetest scent and the starbursts in my head
Locked ourselves inside forever
I listened to the gentle words you said
We felt like lovers
You stung me with your charms
We laughed and whispered
We stole each others heart
We said we'd never part, but
Time washed away our names
The water moves so slow
Till we're caught by the undertow
Time washed away our names
We cannot turn the tide
We're losing track on the other side
Who we are?
Who we are?
All I can see a face in a memory
Who we are?
Who we are?
All I can see a face in a memory
Time washed away our names
The water moves so slow
Till we're caught by the undertow
Time washed away our names
We cannot turn the tide
We're losing track on the other side
Down the river
Down the river
We're floating down the river and let go
The lyrics of P.J. Harvey's song "River" are imbued with profound emotions of longing, grief, and hope. The song depicts a journey made by two individuals who come to a river leaving behind their past pains and sorrows, hoping to find solace and renewal. It starts with a mesmerizing guitar strumming, paving the way to Harvey's melancholic voice, singing "And they came to the river, And they came from the road." The act of coming to the river is a symbolic representation of the search for cleansing and the desire for rebirth.
As the song progresses, Harvey's lyrics resonate with the idea of the transitory nature of life, acting as a catalyst in the process of healing. "And we walked without words, And we walked with our lives, Two silent birds," symbolizes the shared experience of both individuals who seek to let go of their past and learn to develop a deeper understanding of life.
The closing lines of the song emphasize the themes of renewal and hope, with "Like the pain in the river," symbolizing the burden that has been washed away. The song's lyrics encourage the act of letting go and moving on, in the hopes of finding emotional renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
And they came to the river
They arrived at the river
And they came from the road
They came from the direction of the road
And he wanted the sun / Just to call his own
He longed to possess the sun just for himself
And they walked on the dirt / And they walked from the road / 'til they came up close
They strolled on the dry path emerging from the road until they reached the river bank
Throw your pain in the river / To be washed away slow
Cast off your troubles into the river and let them slowly wash away
And we walked without words / And we walked with our lives / Two silent birds / Circled by
We traveled solemnly, without speaking, bearing our existence - two speechless feathered creatures encircled by a vastness
Like our pain in the river
Similar to our agony, sitting in the river's depths
And we followed the river / And we followed the road / And we walked through this land
We tagged alongside the river and the road to stroll through this terrain
And we called it a home / But he wanted the sun / And I wanted the whole / And the white light scatters
Although we nicknamed it our abode, he just wanted the sun while I wished for everything; and the bright light disappears
And the sun sets low / Like the pain in the river
The sun plunges downward, like the hurting submerged in the river's bed
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Justin Kniest
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind