Abigail and Lily are currently living in New York City and will release their newest record 'A Date With the Everly Brothers' on April 23rd, 2013. Listen to songs from this and other records at www.thechapinsisters.com
HISTORY
The band was founded in Los Angeles in 2004 as a trio featuring Abigail Chapin, Lily Chapin and their sister Jessica Craven. After the release of their first full-length record, the Lake Bottom LP in 2008, Jessica left the band to start a family. Abigail and Lily, now a duo, recorded and released the aptly titled follow-up Two to critical acclaim.
The Chapin Sisters spent 2010 touring the world with She & Him (M. Ward & Zooey Deschanel), pulling double duty as part of the band and performing nightly as the opening act.
Shady River
The Chapin Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it's always June, there's no time to cry
Days keep passing, but they're all the same
Seasons never change
And the years are long
Oh, the years are long
Shady river carry me away
Take me off and bring me back another day
City streetlights, how I miss the dark
(???) off the mark when it left me here
Old man moonlight tryin' to keep me blue
And the stars try to
They won't let me go
Won't you let me go?
Shady river carry me away
Shady river carry me away
Take me off and bring me back another day
When I'm tired, and start to think I'm through
Tryin' to be true, but it's awfully hard
Oh, so hard to do
Shady river carry me away
Shady river carry me away
Take me off and bring me back another day
Shady river carry me away
Shady river carry me away
Take me off and bring me back another day
The Chapin Sisters' "Shady River" is a wistful and melancholic song about the desire to escape a monotonous and exhausting existence. The opening lines describe a sunny day that seems to go on forever, with no change or relief in sight. The repetition of "the years are long" emphasizes the feeling of time dragging on relentlessly. The singer of the song yearns for a way out, for something to break up the routine and bring some excitement or adventure into their life. The titular "shady river" represents the escape they're seeking, a place to go and forget about their worries for a while.
In the second verse, the mood shifts as the singer reminisces about the darkness of the night and how they miss it. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggles or challenges they've faced, which have made them stronger and more resilient. The personification of the moonlight and stars adds to the dreamlike quality of the song, creating a sense of enchantment and longing. The repeated plea to be let go is poignant, as it suggests that the singer feels trapped or held back in some way, unable to fully embrace their desires or potential.
The chorus ties everything together, with the simple yet powerful refrain of "shady river carry me away". It's a sentiment that anyone who's ever felt stuck or overwhelmed can relate to, the idea of being swept up by something bigger and more powerful than oneself. The song ends on a note of resignation, as the singer acknowledges that trying to be true to oneself is a difficult and ongoing struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunny morning, sunny afternoon
The singer is describing a time of day when it feels like everything is perfect and happy.
When it's always June, there's no time to cry
During the happy times, there's no reason to be sad or cry.
Days keep passing, but they're all the same
Time keeps moving forward, but it feels like nothing is changing.
Seasons never change
Life feels stagnant and unchanging, with no new experiences to be had.
And the years are long
Time feels like it's dragging on forever, with no end in sight.
Oh, the years are long
The singer emphasizes how long and unchanging their life feels.
Shady river carry me away
The singer wants to escape their stagnant life and be carried away to a new place.
Take me off and bring me back another day
The singer wants to leave their current life behind and return to it at another time.
City streetlights, how I miss the dark
The singer misses the quiet and darkness of a more country or rural area.
(???) off the mark when it left me here
It's unclear what this line means and could be interpreted in a number of different ways.
Old man moonlight tryin' to keep me blue
The singer feels sad despite the beautiful surroundings and attributes this to the moonlight.
And the stars try to
The stars are also trying to make the singer feel sad and blue.
They won't let me go
The sadness is persistent and won't go away.
Won't you let me go?
The singer is begging for some sort of release from their emotional turmoil.
When I'm tired, and start to think I'm through
When the singer is feeling worn down, they start to feel like they can't keep going.
Tryin' to be true, but it's awfully hard
The singer is trying to be true to themselves and their emotions, but it's difficult.
Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.