Priscilla Herdman (born in Eastchester, New York in 1948) is an American f… Read Full Bio ↴Priscilla Herdman (born in Eastchester, New York in 1948) is an American folk singer. Although she has written songs, she is notable chiefly for her interpretations of other artists' work. As well as solo recordings, she has recorded albums as Priscilla Herdman, Anne Hills & Cindy Mangsen.

Herdman attended the University of Iowa, finishing her studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. While working in the fashion industry, she began to play in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village and the church basements of the Upper West Side, and toured in Europe. In 1976, she moved to Philadelphia and decided to become a professional singer.

Her first album, The Water Lily, was released in 1977, on the Philo label. In 1980, her second album, Forgotten Dreams, consisting mainly of covers of songs by contemporary North American songwriters, was released on the Flying Fish label. In 1982, Herdman left Philadelphia and moved to the small rural community of Pine Plains, New York, where she met her husband, Dick Hermans. In 1983 she released her third album, Seasons of Change. To date, Herdman has released 12 albums, including two as Priscilla Herdman, Anne Hills & Cindy Mangsen.

The Water Is Wide
Priscilla Herdman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The water is wide I can not get o'er
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that will carry two
And both shall row my love and I

Where love is planted O there it grows
It grows and blossoms like a rose
It has a sweet and pleasant smell

No flower on Earth can it excel

A ship there is and she sails the sea
She's loaded deep as deep can be
But not so deep as the love I'm in
I know not if I sink or swim

O love is handsome and love is fine
And love's a jewel while it is new

But when it is old it grows so cold
And fades away like morning dew

Overall Meaning

In "The Water is Wide," Priscilla Herdman sings of a love that cannot be crossed, yet still persists. The singer in the song is unable to cross the water and be with their love, as they do not have wings to fly. However, they ask for a boat that will carry two, so that they and their love can be together. The significance of asking for a boat that can carry two is that it represents both physical and emotional support -- both of them rowing the boat together, figuratively and literally. The strength of their love, even when faced with obstacles, is the central theme of the song.

The song goes on to talk about the beauty of love and its ability to grow and prosper where it is planted. Love is compared to a rose, with a sweet and pleasant smell that cannot be matched by any other flower. However, the singer acknowledges that love can also be fleeting. While it may start off as a jewel, it can fade over time, cold and transient like morning dew.

Line by Line Meaning

The water is wide I can not get o'er
I cannot cross the wide river

And neither have I wings to fly
I can't fly over either

Give me a boat that will carry two
I need a small boat for two people

And both shall row my love and I
My beloved and I will row it together

Where love is planted O there it grows
Love grows where it's planted

It grows and blossoms like a rose
Love grows and blooms like a flower

It has a sweet and pleasant smell
Love has a sweet fragrance

No flower on Earth can it excel
Love is superior to all other flowers

A ship there is and she sails the sea
There's a ship sailing the seas

She's loaded deep as deep can be
It's loaded very deeply

But not so deep as the love I'm in
But not as deep as the love I have