Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_the_Well_(band)
Studio albums
The Opposite of December... A Season of Separation (1999)
Tear From the Red (2001)
You Come Before You (2003)
Versions (2007)
The Tropic Rot (2009)
Riverside
Poison the Well Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is something disputed here?
Focusing behind me you look white
Are you looking at something through the other side?
Nowadays you get more
difficult to understand,
Incoherently speaking of your last days
finding the blades of grass you'll lay in
Do you hear me?
Do you hear me?
Do you hear...
Slowly your hands fade to your skull
Constantly complaining
of your discomfort
you don't look well anymore
Nowadays you get more
difficult to understand,
Incoherently speaking of your last days
How you'll spend them
finding the blades of grass you'll lay in
Do you hear me?
Do you hear me?
Do you hear...
Feel them crawling
Feel them penetrate
One day I'll get your sight back to you
I thought we were supposed
to bury our dead.
The lyrics to Poison the Well's song "Riverside" convey a sense of confusion, uncertainty, and concern. The opening lines suggest a back-and-forth conversation that is somehow being disputed, as if there is a disconnect between the singers. The focus then shifts to the visual image of someone looking white behind the singer, as if they are seeing something on the other side that the singer cannot. This highlights the sense of disconnection between the two individuals.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more ominous and foreboding. The singer speaks of someone who is becoming more difficult to understand and is speaking incoherently of their last days. There is a sense of impending loss and the urgency to communicate with this person before it is too late. The imagery of finding the blades of grass to lay in suggests a desire to find peace and comfort in nature, in contrast to the discomfort and pain that the person is currently experiencing.
The final lines of the song are particularly haunting, with the reference to "bury our dead" suggesting that someone has already died or is about to die. The singer's desire to "get your sight back to you" implies a loss of vision or clarity, both literally and figuratively. Ultimately, the song conveys a sense of loss, disconnect, and the struggle to communicate and understand one another.
Line by Line Meaning
Trading back and forth our voice
Are we really communicating effectively?
Is something disputed here?
Do we have some disagreement or argument?
Focusing behind me you look white
Are you seeing something from beyond life?
Are you looking at something through the other side?
Are you seeing something from beyond life?
Nowadays you get more difficult to understand,
You are becoming harder and harder to comprehend
Incoherently speaking of your last days
You are rambling about how you will spend your final moments
How you'll spend them finding the blades of grass you'll lay in
You want to spend your last moments reconnecting with nature
Do you hear me?
Are you really listening to me?
Slowly your hands fade to your skull
You are experiencing some physical or mental deterioration
Constantly complaining of your discomfort,
You keep complaining about your pain and discomfort
You don't look well anymore
Your health has deteriorated significantly
Feel them crawling
Sensations are crawling on your skin
Feel them penetrate
Something insidious is entering your mind or body
One day I'll get your sight back to you
I will help you see the world in a better light
I thought we were supposed to bury our dead.
I am bewildered and disoriented by your behavior and attitude
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ETHERMETAL
Chris, Do you have more studio footage of PTW recordings? We [speaking for all the PTW fans] would love to see it.
kenaiinaugust
Do I spy a Brady?.. What's the other snare?
Chris Hornbrook
It's an Ayotte Keplinger Stainless Steel 14x6.5 snare drum. One of my favorites.