The River
Skeggs Lyrics
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Where mister when you're young
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
Me and Mary we met in high school
When she was just seventeen
We'd ride out of this valley down to where the fields were green
We'd go down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Then I got Mary pregnant
And man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse
And the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
No flowers no wedding dress
That night we went down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we did ride
I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy
Now all them things that seemed so important
Well mister they vanished right into the air
Now I just act like I don't remember
Mary acts like she don't care
But I remember us riding in my brother's car
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
At night on them banks I'd lie awake
And pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take
Now those memories come back to haunt me
They haunt me like a curse
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true
Or is it something worse
That sends me down to the river
Though I know the river is dry
That sends me down to the river tonight
Down to the river
My baby and I
Oh down to the river we ride
The River by Skeggs tells the story of a young man from a valley who falls in love with his high school sweetheart, Mary. They spend their time riding out of the valley to where the fields are green and to the river, where they would dive and ride. However, they soon get pregnant, and he receives a union card and wedding coat for his nineteenth birthday. They end up going to the courthouse instead of having a traditional wedding, and later that night, they go down to the river once again.
The young man gets a job working construction for the Johnstown Company, but due to the economy, there hasn't been much work lately. He reflects on how all the things that used to be important to him and Mary seem to have vanished into the air. They have grown distant, though he remembers the times they spent together, lying on the banks of the river, with Mary's tan and wet body pressing against him.
Now those memories come back to haunt him, and he questions whether dreams that don't come true are lies, or if they are worse. He is compelled to go down to the river even though he knows it is dry. Mary joins him, and they ride down to the river one last time.
Line by Line Meaning
I come from down in the valley
I am from a highly traditional and conservative background.
Where mister when you're young
This is a reference to how I was raised with patriarchal norms.
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
There is pressure to continue the imitation of one's father's behavior.
Me and Mary we met in high school
I met Mary when we were both in high school.
When she was just seventeen
Mary was only seventeen years old at that time.
We'd ride out of this valley down to where the fields were green
We used to leave our valley to go to greener and more beautiful places.
We'd go down to the river
We used to go down to the river bank.
And into the river we'd dive
We would both dive into the water for the pleasure of it.
Then I got Mary pregnant
I impregnated Mary.
And man that was all she wrote
That changed everything.
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
As a birthday present for my nineteenth birthday, I got an union card and a wedding coat.
We went down to the courthouse
We went to the courthouse for our wedding.
And the judge put it all to rest
The judge made our marriage an official one.
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
Our wedding was devoid of conventional celebration, there were no smiles or even a walk down the aisle.
No flowers no wedding dress
There were no flowers or a wedding dress to symbolize the marriage occasion.
That night we went down to the river
We went back to the river bank as our marriage was very uneventful.
And into the river we'd dive
We still enjoyed diving into the river.
Oh down to the river we did ride
We enjoyed the ride down to the river as it refreshed us.
I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company
I started working in the construction industry for the Johnstown Company.
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy
Work has reduced due to the current state of the economy.
Now all them things that seemed so important
The things that I once thought were vital no longer matter.
Well mister they vanished right into the air
All my goals and dreams disappeared with the wind.
Now I just act like I don't remember
I pretend not to remember my past desires or goals.
Mary acts like she don't care
My wife acts like she is indifferent to our past memories.
But I remember us riding in my brother's car
I can still remember us riding in my brother's car together.
Her body tan and wet down at the reservoir
Mary's sun-kissed body glistened as she stood wet near the reservoir.
At night on them banks I'd lie awake
I remember staying awake all night, lying on the banks of the river.
And pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take
I would hug Mary close and savor each breath that she takes.
Now those memories come back to haunt me
Those memories still deeply affect me to this day.
They haunt me like a curse
These memories are a burden to me, like a curse that won't leave me.
Is a dream a lie if it don't come true
Is a dream still a dream if it doesn't come to fruition?
Or is it something worse
Maybe the failed dream is worse than a worthless dream.
That sends me down to the river
These thoughts and memories drive me to the river bank.
Though I know the river is dry
I know it is pointless as the river is dry.
That sends me down to the river tonight
Still, I can't help but be drawn to the river again tonight.
Down to the river
I am going back to the river bank.
My baby and I
I will be with my wife, Mary.
Oh down to the river we ride
We will ride down to the river bank, hoping to relieve the burden of our memories.
Contributed by Layla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.