After taking a brief recording hiatus in the mid-1990s to start a family with her husband, songwriter Doug Crider, Bogguss returned to the country music scene to find that her charting power had already faded. Although she last appeared on the Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart in 1999, Bogguss continues to record and perform around the country to a loyal following.
Her most recent recordings have ventured into swing and jazz variations of country. These albums really showcase the tremendous talent in her voice. Suzy is a true singer, and her voice has so much versatility.
In 2014, Suzy added an album of Merle Haggard songs entitled "Lucky". The country & western flavor dominates this album, unlike some of her other recent work. To promote this new album, Suzy has embarked on a nationwide tour.
Banks of the Ohio
Suzy Bogguss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to take a walk just a little ways
and as we walked then we would talk
all about our wedding day
Only say that you'll be mine
in no other arms entwine
down beside where the waters flow
I asked her will she marry me
and my wife forever be.
She only turned her head away
and had no other words to say
I held my knife against her breast
and told her she was going to rest.
She cried, "Oh Willy! Don't murder me!
I'm not prepared for eternity."
I took her by her lily white hand
and led her down the bank of sand
and there I threw her in to drown
and watched her as she floated down.
And going home between 12 and 1
I cried, "Dear Lord, what have I done?
I've killed the only girl I love
because she would not marry me."
The song "Banks of the Ohio" by Suzy Bogguss is a haunting ballad that conveys the story of a man who murders his own love interest. The song is set against the banks of the Ohio River, where the singer asks his beloved to take a walk with him to talk about their wedding day. However, when he proposes marriage, she turns him down, which leads him to become enraged and ultimately kill her. The singer's use of a knife to murder his lover demonstrates the passion and depth of the relationship, which has taken a violent turn.
The lyrics of the song is a love story with a twist, presenting the troubled theme of obsession and rejection. The lyrics emphasize the time and place of the song, situating it specifically by the banks of the Ohio River. The song's poetic style adds to its overall dramatic tension, making it an effective piece of storytelling. The song's chorus, "Down by the banks of the Ohio" serves as a reminder of the location where this crime has been committed, thus painting the scene with an eerie atmosphere. The song can be seen as a cautionary tale emphasizing that obsessive love and rejection lead to tragic consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
I asked my love to take a walk
I requested my beloved to join me for a brief stroll
to take a walk just a little ways
We agreed on a short distance for our walk
and as we walked then we would talk
While we journeyed, we intended to converse
all about our wedding day
We discussed the details of our imminent nuptials
Only say that you'll be mine
Agree to become my betrothed
in no other arms entwine
Promise to remain faithful to me
down beside where the waters flow
Near the streaming currents of the riverbank
down by the banks of the Ohio
On the banks of the Ohio river
I asked her will she marry me
I requested if she would consent to become my spouse
and my wife forever be.
To be committed to me for eternity as my lawful wife.
She only turned her head away
She avoided giving me a direct answer
and had no other words to say
She kept silent and offered no further response
I held my knife against her breast
I brandished my weapon towards her heart
and told her she was going to rest.
I threatened her life and demanded she remain still
She cried, "Oh, Willy! Don't murder me!
She pled and expressed horror at the prospect of my actions
I'm not prepared for eternity."
She acknowledged her unreadiness for death and its eternal consequences
I took her by her lily white hand
I seized her pure white hand by force
and led her down the bank of sand
I compelled her to come with me to the sandy riverside
and there I threw her in to drown
I propelled her body into the river to suffocate
and watched her as she floated down.
I observed her lifeless body drift away with the current
And going home between 12 and 1
Returning home late at night
I cried, "Dear Lord, what have I done?
I lamented and bemoaned the horrific crime I had committed
I've killed the only girl I love
The ghastly act I committed resulted in the death of the woman I cherished
because she would not marry me."
The reason for my heinous crime was her unwillingness to marry me
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.