I'm Going Down to the River
Ray Charles Lyrics


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I'm goin down to the river and drown myself, well
I'm goin down to the river and drown myself
Oh babe, oh I'm goin down yes and turn myself in,
Cause my baby's lovin someone else
Now you know why I'm goin down to the river and drown
Myself

I'm sick and tired of this misery down in my heart,
Way down in my heart
I'm sick and tired of this misery down in my heart, oh
Lord
Well I'm sick and tired of this misery, lord have
Mercy, have mercy on me
I'm sick and tired of this misery down in my heart

So goodbye baby ( bye baby ) well I got to go, so
Please dont cry, cause its too late to cry
Bye bye baby well I got to go, so please dont cry,
Oh no
Oh bye bye baby, I've got to go, thats why I called




You, just to let you know
I'm goin down to the river and drown myself

Overall Meaning

The song "I'm Going Down to the River" by Ray Charles is a blues song that expresses the pain and heartbreak the singer feels after finding out that his lover is with someone else. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness and desperation, indicating that the singer has reached a point of no return, and is willing to end his life by drowning himself in the river. The first verse expresses the singer's intention to go down to the river and turn himself in, which could be interpreted as to surrender himself to whoever he thinks is responsible for his misery. The second verse reveals the level of pain the singer is experiencing, and the chorus repeats the phrase "I'm going down to the river and drown myself" twice to emphasize the singer's extreme state of mind.


The word "river" is often used as a metaphor for cleansing, purification, and renewal. In this song, the river symbolizes a place where the singer will be able to wash away his troubles and start anew. However, the act of drowning oneself could also be interpreted as a form of suicide. This is a common theme among blues songs, where the singer's despair is so intense that death seems like the only way out.


Overall, "I'm Going Down to the River" is a song that deals with themes of heartbreak and emotional turmoil. It's a testament to the power of the blues to convey the depths of human emotion and the struggle to overcome it.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm goin down to the river and drown myself, well
I'm going to the river to end my life because I can't bear the pain of my baby loving someone else.


I'm goin down to the river and drown myself
I'm going to take the drastic step of drowning myself in the river due to the unbearable pain in my heart.


Oh babe, oh I'm goin down yes and turn myself in,
I'm going to the river and ready to surrender to whatever consequences await me for my actions.


Cause my baby's lovin someone else
My lover has fallen for someone else and it is just too much for me to handle.


Now you know why I'm goin down to the river and drown myself
I'm sure you understand why I'm taking this extreme measure of ending my life by drowning myself in the river.


I'm sick and tired of this misery down in my heart,
The pain and sadness I feel in my heart have reached unbearable levels and I can't take it anymore.


Way down in my heart
The misery I'm experiencing is too profound and is deeply rooted within me.


Oh Lord
I'm crying out for help to the Almighty, hoping for a miracle that can help me overcome this pain.


Well I'm sick and tired of this misery, lord have Mercy, have mercy on me
I'm begging for divine intervention to help free me from the misery consuming me from within.


So goodbye baby ( bye baby ) well I got to go, so
It's time to say farewell to my lover and leave this world behind, so my pain and misery can finally end.


Please dont cry, cause its too late to cry
I'm asking my lover not to cry, as it won't change anything, and I've already made up my mind.


Oh bye bye baby, I've got to go, thats why I called You, just to let you know
I'm calling my lover to let them know that I've decided to end my life and say my final farewell.


I'm goin down to the river and drown myself
I'm going to the river to say goodbye to this world by drowning myself and letting go of all my pain and suffering.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC , Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RAY CHARLES ROBINSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Antonio McNeary

Man the melancholy is so rich and sweet in this song. Love it!!!

manutd689908

A true musical genius...

Molybdenum Rose

That range is amazing.

QUADREX

Best blues track EVER!!!

ParadisePeat111

i feel you !! ray is not just a singer, he is still a superhuman who give is so much !!!

Mario Sommarti

He was a bariton but here he hits an incredible B flat giving him an overall range, including the falsetto extension, of at least three octaves.

operadog2000

Ha Ha ha ha😆

carguaga

From Wikipedia to the world

Alex Nimirceag

This type of music is one of the few in whcih, if you get to it, you just CAN'T dislike it! Bottom's up for Mr. Ray Charles!

gab9991

am only 17 and even i can enjoy the passion and soul behind this song ray is a legend even us younger generation like him :P nothing better to chear someone up than this song :P

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