Criminal
Rivers Lyrics

The heart wants to feel.
The heart desires emotions and experiences.

The heart wants to hold.
The heart wishes to be loved and to hold onto love.

The heart takes past Subway, Past Stop and Shop, Past Beal's, And calls it "coming home."
The heart associates certain places with comfort and home, even if they are simple or mundane.

The heart wants a trail Away from "alone," So the heart turns a sale Into a well-worn milestone
The heart desires to find companionship and create meaningful experiences to mark one's journey through life.

Towards hard-won soft furniture, Fought-for fast food, Defended end table that Holds paperbacks and back U.S. News.
The heart values the simple things in life that bring comfort and familiarity, even if they require effort and struggle to attain or keep.

The mind turns an itch Into a bruise, And the hands start to twitch When they're feeling ill-used.
The mind can amplify feelings of discomfort or discontent into something more severe, leading to physical reactions.

And you're almost back now, You can see by the signs; From the bank you tell the temperature And then the time, And the billboard reads some headlines.
Returning to a familiar place can evoke memories and feelings from the past, and one can become attuned to the surroundings as they approach.

The head wants to turn, To avert both its eyes, But the mind wants to learn Of some truth that might be Inside reported crimes.
While the natural reaction is to turn away from gruesome or disturbing news, the mind is still curious and wants to understand the reasons and motivations behind them.

So they found a lieutenant Who killed a village of kids. After finishing off the wives, He wiped off his knife And that's what he did.
The song describes a horrific crime committed by a military figure, highlighting the atrocities that can occur even in war.

And they're not claiming that There's any excusing it; That was thirty years back, And they just get paid for the facts The way they got them in.
The song acknowledges that there can be no justification for such a heinous act, and the media's role is to report the facts rather than interpret or embellish them.

Now he's rising and not denying. His hands are shaking, but he's not crying. And he's saying "How did I climb Out of a life so boring into that moment? Please stop ignoring the heart inside, Oh you readers at home!
The song portrays the criminal confessing and taking responsibility for his actions, reflecting on how he ended up committing such an evil act, and pleading with people to understand and look beyond their initial reactions to the humanity within him.

While you gasp at my bloody crimes, Please take the time To make your heart my home: Where I'm forgiven by time, Where I'm cushioned by hope, Where I'm numbed by long drives, Where I'm talked off or doped.
The criminal asks the audience to empathize with him and create a space for him in their hearts, where he can be redeemed by the passage of time and positive feelings like hope and comfort.

But the news today always fades away as you drive by, Until at dinnertime when you look into her eyes, Lit by evening sun - that, as usual, comes From above that straight, unbroken line, The horizon Its rising Is a given, Just like your living.
The song comments on how easily people can forget about the tragedies they hear about, and how they can find solace in the routine of everyday life and the natural beauty of the world around them.

Our blood-spattered criminal Is inscrutable; Don't worry, he won't Rise up behind your eyes And take wild control. He's not of this time, He fell out of a hole.
The song ends with a reminder that the criminal is a product of his time and circumstances, and people shouldn't fear that he will somehow possess them or anyone else. He is ultimately a tragic figure who is separate from the present day.