Purveyors of music that meanders from sea soaked waltz to Italian tarantella, from Brassy funeral march-esque lament to weep along Klezmar knees up, from chain gang holler to rag time finger snap. Skipping through the dark side of anything that makes you want to dance, steeped in melodrama and usually with not a small amount of tongue in cheek.
The Eskies have brought this unique brand of folk noir/gypsy jazz/sea shanty and swaggering stage spectacle to ballrooms and booze houses far and wide, sullying soirees and lowering inhibitions of get togethers and social occasions wherever they have ventured.
Down By The River
The Eskies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No blood ran bluer, no eyes turned greener,
What a fool, what a fool, to have loved one so cruel,
He done broke that womans heart before he'd seen her,
(She saw red) She had nowhere left to hide,
(She saw red) She'd go down by the river.
And a hill in her heart that was always getting steeper,
And a thorn in her side that some twisted sense of pride,
Had allowed time to drive even deeper,
So maybe it would come to pass, these waters would revive her,
Kicking and screaming she dragged them both away,
Free, could it be? Absolved of all this damned misanthropy,
Or maybe every second spent was worthless,
Show me an act of retribution that's been carried out purely,
Show me a soul unspoiled by greed or envy,
Show me a heart that's free from sin, Looks just the same turned outside in,
Or from this sentence, I implore, rescind me.
The Eskies' "Down by the River" is a heart-wrenching tune that depicts a woman's emotional torment and eventual breakdown after being betrayed by the one she loved. The lyrics suggest that the female protagonist was deeply attached to a man, who eventually hurt and abandoned her. The pain of the loss weighs heavily on her heart, and she wallows in sorrow and self-reproach.
The song is written in the first person, which indicates a personal connection between the storyteller and the woman. The lyrics describe the woman's agony in vivid detail. Her cries are said to haunt the singer's memory, intensifying the intensity of her suffering. The woman is depicted as vulnerable, with no place left to hide. This is reinforced by the refrain "She saw red" - a reference to the woman's rage and despair, but also to her state of mind after the trauma.
The last verse of the song appears to offer a sense of hope that the river could provide. The lyrics suggest that the woman seeks refuge in the river, hoping it will revive her spirit. Ultimately, however, the song presents a bleak outlook on human nature. The singer's pain and grief convey a sense of disillusionment and suggest that there is no true justice or redemption in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! What a suffering soul was she I still hear her cry,
She endured immense emotional pain and her anguish still echoes in his mind.
No blood ran bluer, no eyes turned greener,
Her love was genuine and true, unmatched by anyone else.
What a fool, what a fool, to have loved one so cruel,
She regrets loving someone who was heartless and unkind.
He done broke that womans heart before he'd seen her,
He shattered her heart before even getting to know her.
(She saw red) She had nowhere left to hide,
She was overwhelmed with emotions and had no escape.
(She saw red) She'd go down by the river.
She sought solace by the river, where the water could calm her mind.
With a knot in her head that could not quite be untied,
She had confusion and uncertainty that could not be resolved.
And a hill in her heart that was always getting steeper,
She had a growing burden of emotional pain that was becoming harder to bear.
And a thorn in her side that some twisted sense of pride,
Her own pride and stubbornness was causing her additional pain.
Had allowed time to drive even deeper,
Over time, her pain and suffering had increased and deepened.
So maybe it would come to pass, these waters would revive her,
She hoped that the waters of the river could rejuvenate and heal her.
Kicking and screaming she dragged them both away,
She fought hard to free herself and leave her painful past behind.
Free, could it be? Absolved of all this damned misanthropy,
She desired freedom from all her bitterness and hatred towards humanity.
Or maybe every second spent was worthless,
She questioned the value of each moment spent in pain and suffering.
Show me an act of retribution that's been carried out purely,
She challenges the idea of true justice being carried out without any selfish motives.
Show me a soul unspoiled by greed or envy,
She asks to see a person who is genuinely pure and untainted by selfish desires.
Show me a heart that's free from sin, Looks just the same turned outside in,
She longs to see a heart that is truly without any wrongdoing, even when examined from every angle.
Or from this sentence, I implore, rescind me.
She begs to be released from her pain and suffering, even if it means undoing her existence.
Contributed by Peyton C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.