Pike, who co-founded the band and wrote many of their early lyrics, died in Fairhaven, Massachusetts on June 3, 2007, drowning in Buzzards Bay shortly after a show in Providence, Rhode Island. The band decided to continue following Pike's death, but have never permanently replaced him and have subsequently had several drummers, including Cameron Wisch (on "The Rhumb Line") and Gabriel Duquette (on "The Orchard").
The released their debut full length album The Rhumb Line in 2008. The band released their second full length album, The Orchard on August 24th, 2010. In February 2012, cellist and keyboardist Alexandra Lawn, an original member of the group, left the band.
www.rarariot.com
Water
Ra Ra Riot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Working at the bus stop night 'til morning
Tired and waiting for the sunlight
When it comes, it's still dark where I'm going
Don't, don't punish me for what I feel
Don't, don't punish me for what I feel
Took off all these tight clothes
Jumped into the water
So I crawled out of the back door
Took off all these tight clothes
Jumped into the water
I jumped into the water
The water
Vicious demons on the TV
So I sold it on 16th St
But I still hear the drone
Now I'm 'bout to get off this night shift
Do you think I could get a lift?
I don't care where you're going
Don't, don't punish me for what I feel
Don't, don't punish me for what I feel
So I crawled out of the back door
Took off all these tight clothes
Jumped into the water
So I crawled out of the back door
Took off all these tight clothes
Jumped into the water
I jumped into the water
The water
My face was numb, my lungs were sore
But still I swam until my feet could touch the shore
Now I've been sleeping on your porch
I'm still too scared to bust the lock on your door
So I crawled out of the back door
Took off all these tight clothes
Jumped into the water
So I crawled out of the back door
Took off all these tight clothes
Jumped into the water
I jumped into the water
The water
The water
The song "Water" by Ra Ra Riot and Rostam talks about the struggles of an individual who is tired of living a life filled with hardships and struggles. The opening lines "Tired of sleeping on the sidewalk. Working at the bus stop night 'til morning" refer to the difficulties faced by the singer in finding a stable livelihood. Despite their hard work, they haven't been able to escape the darkness that life has thrown their way. The line "When it comes, it's still dark where I'm going" highlights the feeling of hopelessness that engulfs the singer.
The chorus, "Don't, don't punish me for what I feel," is a plea to not judge the individual based on their life choices. The next verse, "Vicious demons on the TV. So I sold it on 16th St. But I still hear the drone" emphasizes the feeling of being suffocated by the negativity in the world around them. The character realizes that they need to break free from their current life and the line "So I crawled out of the back door. Took off all these tight clothes. Jumped into the water" represents their desire to break free and start afresh.
The line "My face was numb, my lungs were sore. But still I swam until my feet could touch the shore" represents the singer's struggle to survive as they try to leave behind their painful past. The final lines, "Now I've been sleeping on your porch. I'm still too scared to bust the lock on your door" represent the character's hesitance to take the next step towards change and a new beginning. The water is a metaphor for change and the willingness to let go of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Tired of sleeping on the sidewalk
I am exhausted of sleeping outside on the street
Working at the bus stop night 'til morning
Spending the entire night working at the bus stop
Tired and waiting for the sunlight
Feeling fatigued and waiting for the sun to rise
When it comes, it's still dark where I'm going
Despite the sun rising, I'm still headed towards a dark place
Don't, don't punish me for what I feel
I shouldn't be punished for my emotions
So I crawled out of the back door
I sneaked out of the house
Took off all these tight clothes
Removed my restrictive clothing
Jumped into the water
I plunged into the water
Vicious demons on the TV
Terrifying images on the television
So I sold it on 16th St
I sold my TV on 16th Street
But I still hear the drone
I still hear the noise from the TV
Now I'm 'bout to get off this night shift
I'm about to finish my night shift
Do you think I could get a lift?
Can I get a ride?
I don't care where you're going
I'm not concerned about your destination
My face was numb, my lungs were sore
My face and lungs were numb and aching
But still I swam until my feet could touch the shore
Nevertheless, I continued swimming until I reached the shore
Now I've been sleeping on your porch
Currently, I'm sleeping on your porch
I'm still too scared to bust the lock on your door
I'm afraid to break your door lock
The water
The water that I jumped into
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROSTAM BATMANGLIJ, WESLEY RICHARD MILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@elguapo3811
Hola. I am Guillermo, 95 year old. Live in Mexico and I like this song. Bye
@MrHeathpacoffice
Heard this song at a Starbucks. I was instantly hooked.
@mon8498
Haha same :D
@motimaat1999
I am just a leaf in a stream of consciousness... Everything always connects and I am glad years later I found this song
@colton9016
This is one of those songs that is criminally underrated
@pablobarriaurenda7808
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb6Nl_BB6sU
@mauriousb.
I feel so at peace listening to this song. Forgiving myself for all the hurtful things I said or did to put myself in bad situation I can’t believe I’ve been so ungrateful. I hope everyone who comes across this song (whether it be your first listen or 1000th listen) feels freedom and permission to give yourself another chance to be happy. Be well!
@ryanfisher1721
I had the privilege to open for them at a club in Trenton, nj back in like 2007(est.)??? No one came out lol it was just my band and them. But it was such an intimate experience; I always look back and feel so lucky to have experienced them live, just for my band mates and I. Allie was still in the band (SWOOOON), I was instantly attracted to their orchestration with the strings. they've changed alot over the years, but I've always loved their sound since that first time I heard them. And I still do
@shangrilad4326
I had the good fortune of seeing these guys open for Death Cab For Cutie in Atlanta I think almost 10 years ago. I bought their EP then but honestly I kind of forgot about them until this played on a Spotify playlist. Like finding treasure you forgot you buried.
@infernaldaedra
Man that must have been a good time