Josephine
The Dahls Lyrics

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She went down, down, down to the river
She went down, down, down to the shore
She laid her body in the water
To go to sleep for evermore.

Oh, Josephine... Oh, Josephine

The night was black and dark like a raven

His cry grew louder and echoed in her head
She was a slave to the silence of her lover
She went to be with him instead.

Oh, Josephine... Oh, Josephine
Oh, Josephine... Oh, Josephine

He went down, down, down to the river
He went down, down, down to the shore
He saw her body treading in the water
He turned his back on her again, once more

Oh, Josephine... Oh, Josephine
Oh, Josephine... Oh, Josephine.

Overall Meaning

The Dahls's song Josephine tells a story of a woman who takes her own life by drowning in the river. She is described as going "down, down, down" to the river and laying her body in the water "to go to sleep forevermore". The lyrics also suggest that Josephine was in love with someone who may have been abusive or silent towards her, as she is referred to as "a slave to the silence of her lover". This silence may have been too much for her to bear, leading her to choose death as a release.

The second verse reveals that Josephine's lover, possibly the cause of her pain, is also at the river. He witnesses her body treading in the water but turns his back on her again. It is unclear whether he is aware of her death or what their relationship was exactly. The repetition of "Oh, Josephine" throughout the song creates a haunting and mournful tone.

Overall, the lyrics of Josephine suggest a tragic love story intertwined with suicide. The Dahls's use of vivid imagery and repetition help drive home the emotions of loss and heartache.

Line by Line Meaning

She went down, down, down to the river
She went to the river and walked down, down, down until she was right next to it.

She went down, down, down to the shore
She went to the shore and walked down, down, down until she was right next to it.

She laid her body in the water
She put her body in the water and laid down, ready to rest.

To go to sleep for evermore.
She went to sleep in the water forever, she committed suicide.

The night was black and dark like a raven
The night was extremely dark, just like a raven.

His cry grew louder and echoed in her head
Her lover's cry got louder and echoed in her head, made her feel haunted by him.

She was a slave to the silence of her lover
Her lover's silence owned her, enslaved her.

She went to be with him instead.
Rather than staying alive, she chose to be with her lover who had previously died.

He saw her body treading in the water
He saw her body floating/walking in the water.

He turned his back on her again, once more
He rejected her once more, and turned away from her and left.

Contributed by Luke W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.