Pallbearer released their debut album "Sorrow and Extinction" in February 2012 via Profound Lore Records to much critical acclaim.
The current line-up is:
Brett Campbell - vocals, guitar
Devin Holt - guitar
Joseph D. Rowland - bass
Mark Lierly - drums
Riverbed
Pallbearer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a stone in any riverbed to find
But I am flesh and bone, awaiting peace of mind
I′ve lost myself in thoughts of days behind
Distant memories
Form constellations of despair
Guiding through the state of disrepair
All the hurts that have accrued
Unlock the cage, holding back the truth
I'll beg to start anew
If it will cauterize the wounds
Damn these rivers of bad blood
And quell the raging of the flood
Worn away, the years crawl by
As arbors wither slow, becoming deserts, dry
Along with flesh and bone, beset on every side
By misery, borne within the mind
Distant silhouettes
Nearly all of them obscured
Exposed to be
The damages incurred
I′ll beg to start anew
If it will cauterize the wounds
Damn these rivers of bad blood
And quell the raging of the flood
Laying down in the riverbed
Counting the words that I've never said to you
Their numbers swell so far above my head
Wide-open eyes drink in torrential red
As I drown
The lyrics of Pallbearer’s ‘Riverbed’ describe the gradual wearing down of the singer over the years, much like a stone in a riverbed slowly erodes. The singer reflects on their own flesh and bone, wishing for peace of mind as they lose themselves in thoughts from the past. This leads them to recall distant memories that have formed ‘constellations of despair,’ guiding them through a state of disrepair and illuminating the hurts that have built up over time. The singer finds themselves trapped in a cage of their own making, holding back the truth, and they beg for a chance to start again and cauterize their wounds. They long to put an end to the bad blood and quell the raging flood of emotions that threaten to engulf them. The lyrics ultimately end with the singer laying down in the riverbed, counting the words they’ve never said and drowning in a torrent of emotion.
The use of river-based imagery in Pallbearer’s ‘Riverbed’ is both poignant and fitting, evoking the slow, steady erosion of the self over time. The song’s lyrics are dark and introspective, grappling with themes of regret, pain, and loss. One could interpret the ‘river of bad blood’ in the lyrics as metaphorical, representing a kind of internal poison that’s built up within the singer over time. Ultimately, the lyrics seem to suggest that there’s no way to escape the pain of the past and that the only option is to confront it head-on and hope for some semblance of peace.
Line by Line Meaning
I wore away, as years washed by
As time passed, I slowly deteriorated
Like a stone in any riverbed to find
My existence was insignificant and easily forgotten
But I am flesh and bone, awaiting peace of mind
Despite my physical form, my state of mind is what's important to me
I′ve lost myself in thoughts of days behind
I've been consumed by memories of the past
Distant memories
The memories are far in the past
Form constellations of despair
These memories form a pattern of sadness
Guiding through the state of disrepair
They lead me through a state of brokenness
Illuminate
They shine a light on
All the hurts that have accrued
All the pain and damage that has built up over time
Unlock the cage, holding back the truth
Release the truth that has been hidden away
I'll beg to start anew
I'll plead for a chance to begin again
If it will cauterize the wounds
If it will stop the pain and damage
Damn these rivers of bad blood
I curse the negative emotions that run through me
And quell the raging of the flood
And calm the overwhelming emotions
Worn away, the years crawl by
Time continues to slowly wear me down
As arbors wither slow, becoming deserts, dry
As the beauty and life around me fades
Along with flesh and bone, beset on every side
Along with my physical form, that is surrounded by negativity
By misery, borne within the mind
By the pain that I carry inside
Distant silhouettes
Memories that are barely visible
Nearly all of them obscured
Most of them are hard to remember clearly
Exposed to be
Revealed to be
The damages incurred
The harm and hurt that have been caused
Laying down in the riverbed
I am lying down in the place of insignificance
Counting the words that I've never said to you
Regretting the words that I never got to say
Their numbers swell so far above my head
The amount of regret I feel is overwhelming
Wide-open eyes drink in torrential red
My eyes are wide open and I am overwhelmed by negative emotions
As I drown
As I sink deeper into despair
Writer(s): Mark Alan Lierly, Brett Daniel Campbell, Joseph David Rowland, Devin Holt
Contributed by Grayson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.