Her musical career started in her family's band the Sally Mountain Show when she was barely five years old. She started learning mandolin at age eight, which was also when she released her first single. She achieved success in the bluegrass genre in the 1970's and 80's, earning the respect of her mostly male peers for her mastery of the progressive chord structures and multi-range, fast paced vocals intrinsic to bluegrass music.
In the 1990's she branched out into mainstream country music but did not enjoy the success anticipated there. With the release of her album "Back Home Again" in 2000, she returned to bluegrass with the goal of expanding both the musical reach and the accessibility of the genre. Since then she has seen her popularity and acceptance rise and has received acclaim from several music-industry groups. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) accorded her its Female Vocalist of the Year award for the years 2000 - 2005, plus IBMA Entertainer of the Year in 2001. And the Society for Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) designated her its Entertainer of the Year for 2002 - 2005 inclusive.
The Water Is Wide
Rhonda Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And neither have I the wings to fly.
Give me a boat, that will carry two,
And both shall row, my love and I.
Oh love is handsome, and love is kind,
Shining bright like a jewel, when first its new;
But love grows old, and waxes cold,
There is a ship, and she sails the sea,
She's loaded deep, as deep can be,
But not as deep as the love I'm in.
I know not if I sink or swim.
The water is wide, I can't cross o'er,
And neither have I the wings to fly.
Give me a boat, that will carry two,
And both shall row, my love and I.
The Water Is Wide is a traditional folk song that has been covered by many artists, including Rhonda Vincent. The lyrics are about a love that grows old and fades away. The song is full of longing and desire. The singer wants to cross the water to be with their love, but they cannot. They do not have the ability to fly or the tools to navigate the water. They ask for a boat that will carry two people so that they can row together towards their love.
The song emphasizes the ephemeral nature of love. It is beautiful and bright when it is new, but it fades away like morning dew. The singer is aware of this and wants to make the most of their love before it disappears. The ship that is mentioned in the song is a metaphor for the depth of the singer's love for their partner. It is loaded deep, but not as deep as the singer's love. The uncertainty of whether the singer will sink or swim is a reference to the unknown future of their relationship. They do not know what will become of their love, but they are willing to take the risk to be with their loved one.
Overall, the lyrics of The Water Is Wide are about love, longing, and uncertainty. The singer wants to be with their love but cannot due to their limitations. They are aware of the fleeting nature of love and want to make the most of it while they can.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide, I can't cross o'er,
I am faced with an obstacle that seems insurmountable and I am unable to overcome it.
And neither have I the wings to fly.
I don't have the necessary means to overcome the challenge by myself.
Give me a boat, that will carry two,
I am requesting something that will help me overcome the obstacle, and it needs to be something that can carry both myself and someone I love.
And both shall row, my love and I.
We will need to work together with equal effort in order to cross the obstacle and overcome the challenge.
Oh love is handsome, and love is kind,
Love is beautiful and compassionate in its infancy.
Shining bright like a jewel, when first its new;
In the beginning, love is precious and full of promise.
But love grows old, and waxes cold,
Love inevitably fades and becomes less intense over time.
And fades away, like morning dew.
Love eventually disappears, just as dew evaporates when the sun rises.
There is a ship, and she sails the sea,
There is another option that may be able to help, but it is already carrying a heavy load.
She's loaded deep, as deep can be,
This other option is already carrying as much as it possibly can.
But not as deep as the love I'm in.
However, the love that I share with someone else runs even deeper than this other option.
I know not if I sink or swim.
I am uncertain whether I will succeed or fail in overcoming this obstacle.
The water is wide, I can't cross o'er,
I am still faced with the same challenge that seems insurmountable.
And neither have I the wings to fly.
I still don't possess the necessary means to overcome the challenge by myself.
Give me a boat, that will carry two,
For the second time, I am requesting something that will help me overcome the obstacle, and it needs to be something that can carry both myself and someone I love.
And both shall row, my love and I.
Once again, we will need to work together with equal effort in order to cross the obstacle and overcome the challenge.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
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