Banks of the River
Peter Case Lyrics


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Case-Franklin

Frank and Tony were brothers, they ran away from home
They made it down to Memphis where they sat an' watched the river flow
On the banks of the river, on the banks of the river, child

An old man on the bank of the river sat and played an old guitar
Frank reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a beat up harp
(And began to blow)
And they played on the banks of the river, the banks of the river, child

And Tony told the kid about it and that little kid was me
And when I finally ran away from home with someone chasin' after me
I made it down to the banks of the river, the banks of the river, child

They made it out to the country but the cops didn't want'em around
So Officer Bartlet and Officer Fliss said, "Tony' now you better leave town"
He ran down to the banks of the river, child

Tony caused a lot of trouble and he hurt a couple people too
And he'd sit up late at night and cry
'Cause he didn't know what to do on the banks
On the banks of the river, child

I ain't seen 'em forever, don't know if they still alive
But when I hear someone blowin' the harp
Down on the riverside, on the banks of the river, on the banks of the river





In the green grass, by the river Glass
While a soft breeze stirs and the trucks roll past

Overall Meaning

The song "Banks of the River" by Peter Case tells the story of two brothers, Frank and Tony, who run away from home and end up in Memphis by the banks of the river. They meet an old man playing an old guitar and Frank joins in with his beat-up harp. They spend time playing music on the banks of the river. The singer (who is revealed to be a little kid at the time) hears the story about the brothers from Tony. Later, when the singer runs away from home with someone chasing after him, he ends up at the banks of the same river. However, the cops come and chase Tony away due to his violent behavior. The song ends with the singer wondering if the brothers are still alive but is comforted by the sound of the harp playing on the riverside.


The lyrics of the song are about freedom, music, and the transient nature of life. The banks of the river serve as a metaphor for the fluidity of life, which can take you to new and unexpected places. The harp and guitar present in the scene represent the music that has the power to bring people together and create cherished memories. However, the violent behavior of Tony shows that the freedom to follow one's dreams also has its ups and downs and that sometimes it is not enough to change one's fate. The lyrics also describe the beauty of the natural world, with the green grass and soft breeze, which is in stark contrast with the noise and harshness of the modern world represented by the trucks rolling past.


Line by Line Meaning

Frank and Tony were brothers, they ran away from home
Frank and Tony, two brothers, left their home for unknown reasons


They made it down to Memphis where they sat an' watched the river flow
They arrived in Memphis, where they spent some time by the river


On the banks of the river, on the banks of the river, child
Repeated line emphasizing the importance of the river in the story


An old man on the bank of the river sat and played an old guitar
An elderly man was seated by the river, playing a guitar


Frank reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a beat up harp
Frank took out a worn-out harmonica from his pocket


(And began to blow)
Frank started playing the harmonica, joining the old man's music


And they played on the banks of the river, the banks of the river, child
They played music together by the river, creating a harmonious melody


And Tony told the kid about it and that little kid was me
Tony shared this story with a child, who happened to be the artist


And when I finally ran away from home with someone chasin' after me
The artist eventually ran away from home, with someone pursuing them


I made it down to the banks of the river, the banks of the river, child
The artist reached the river, where they had heard Frank and Tony had gone


They made it out to the country but the cops didn't want'em around
Frank and Tony got out of the city, but the police were after them


So Officer Bartlet and Officer Fliss said, "Tony' now you better leave town"
Two officers named Bartlet and Fliss ordered Tony to leave the town


He ran down to the banks of the river, child
Tony fled to the river, trying to escape from the officers


Tony caused a lot of trouble and he hurt a couple people too
Tony was responsible for some problems and even harmed some people


And he'd sit up late at night and cry
Tony would sometimes stay up late and cry


'Cause he didn't know what to do on the banks
He didn't know how to handle his situation while by the river


On the banks of the river, child
Repeated line emphasizing the importance of the river in the story


I ain't seen 'em forever, don't know if they still alive
The singer hasn't seen Frank and Tony for a long time and is unsure if they are still alive


But when I hear someone blowin' the harp
Whenever the singer hears someone playing the harmonica


Down on the riverside, on the banks of the river, on the banks of the river
Repeated line emphasizing the location of the music and its importance in the story


In the green grass, by the river Glass
Describing the setting of the story with green grass and a nearby river


While a soft breeze stirs and the trucks roll past
Mentioning the breeze and the sound of passing trucks, adding to the ambiance of the setting




Contributed by Avery L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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