River
The Opus Lyrics


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[Verse 1 : Slug]
It was a purple-purple sky and an orange-orange moon
And everyone was whistling the same damn tune
Except Brian, Brian staired out across the field
And watch the horizon blossom to cop a field
Over the edge of the world
The one they're all afraid to walk
Ration out the why they're so high on the small talk
But Brian knows where the crows all go
To find the if's, and the and's and the but's and also's

Chorus:
If I could run through the woods, and speed like the light
I?d find the answers to why, and be back by tonight
If I could fly through the fog and look at this rock
I?d figure out how to keep Hell off of my block
But as it stands, I stay content
Tryin? to be the magic man, and pay my rent
Wishing that Brian would turn me on to the secrets he sought
While we keep burning the dawn, just to keep the day hot

[Verse 2 : Slug]
If I could ask you one question, I?d ask where you went
You could teach me a lesson every time I got bent
But the alcohol don't make me forget about it all
doesn't matter the season the leaves can still fall
They slipped hidden messages within the cards that were dealt
I understand myself and all of the sorrow I felt
For as simple as I'am how'd it get so complex
Got me studying the margins and disregarding the text
I open the curtins and listen to the traffic go
But I still get nervous each time my peace passes go
The residue is thick and the memory fails
I still laugh 'cause the path feels a lot like a trail

Chorus:
If I could run through the woods, and speed like the light
I?d find the answers to why, and be back by tonight
If I could fly through the fog and look at this rock
I?d figure out how to keep Hell off of my block
But as it stands, I stay content
Tryin? to be the magic man, and pay my rent
Wishing that Brian would turn me on to the secrets he sought
While we keep burning the dawn, just to keep the day hot

[Verse 3 : Slug]
We used to be a couple of pimps walking the hallways with pride
Drunk or sober, life was nothing short of rollercoaster rides
Trip to the clubs, now the skull to the rhythm
All we wanted out of life was what was given
And when you passed I wanted to take back the time we wasted
I'd trade all the buzzes in for one more conversation
We can sit in the shade and discuss the meaning of sacred
Cause I can't see the garden no more, just the avens
But the wind still blows and the plains still grow
And I wish your name was on the guest list at my shows
I got to believe you can see me run up on my freedom
Cause you got to meet up with the son before you got to meet my son

Bridge (x2):
And when I see lightning, feels like my buzz is heightning
Everytime I feel the sun, I can smell the love




And when I smell the air I can hear a child trying
But everytime I hear a river I think the mother is crying

Overall Meaning

The Opus's song "River" explores the complexities of life and the desire to discover its intricate secrets. The song begins with an imagery-laden verse that describes a beautiful, yet melancholic sky and moon. The only one not whistling the same tune is Brian, who is staring out into the horizon. Brian seems to know the answers to the questions and mysteries of life as he knows where the crows go to find the answers. This sets the tone for the rest of the song as the singer struggles to find his own answers to the questions that plague him.


In the second verse, the singer grapples with his own existence and the meaning of life. He questions why life has become so complex and how he can simplify it. He speaks about hidden messages and disregarding the text, which may refer to the idea of finding meaning beyond the surface level. The singer tries to find solace in everyday life, but the memory of all his pain and sorrow is always present.


The last verse is a tribute to a friend who has passed away. The singer regrets the time wasted and wishes for one more conversation. He talks about the beauty of life and how it can be taken away in an instant. The bridge ties everything together as the singer experiences moments that heighten his senses and his awareness of life's fragility, especially the sound of the river and the mother's crying.


Overall, "River" is a song about the search for meaning and the fragility of life. It shows that even when faced with complexity, one can find simplicity and beauty.


Line by Line Meaning

It was a purple-purple sky and an orange-orange moon
The sky and moon were a deep shade of purple and orange respectively.


And everyone was whistling the same damn tune
Everyone was humming or singing the same tune.


Except Brian, Brian staired out across the field
Brian was staring across the field.


And watch the horizon blossom to cop a field
He saw the horizon blossom and the cops in the field.


Over the edge of the world
The world was so vast it seemed like it went on forever.


The one they're all afraid to walk
People are scared to explore new horizons.


Ration out the why they're so high on the small talk
People spend a lot of time talking about unimportant topics.


But Brian knows where the crows all go
Brian knows where the crows go to nest.


To find the if's, and the and's and the but's and also's
To explore the possibilities and details that people tend to overlook.


If I could run through the woods, and speed like the light
If I could move very fast through the woods like a ray of light.


I?d find the answers to why, and be back by tonight
I would discover the reason for everything and return by tonight.


If I could fly through the fog and look at this rock
If I could fly through fog to inspect this rock closely.


I?d figure out how to keep Hell off of my block
I would figure out how to avoid unpleasant situations.


But as it stands, I stay content
For now, I remain satisfied with my situation.


Tryin? to be the magic man, and pay my rent
Trying to be successful and earn money at the same time.


Wishing that Brian would turn me on to the secrets he sought
Wishing that Brian would share the secrets he has discovered.


While we keep burning the dawn, just to keep the day hot
We keep working hard to keep ourselves busy.


They slipped hidden messages within the cards that were dealt
There are secret messages hidden in life's challenges.


I understand myself and all of the sorrow I felt
I have come to terms with my past pain and emotions.


For as simple as I'am how'd it get so complex
Despite my simple nature, my life has become complicated.


Got me studying the margins and disregarding the text
I am focusing on the details and ignoring the obvious things.


I open the curtains and listen to the traffic go
I open my curtains and listen to the sound of traffic.


But I still get nervous each time my peace passes go
Even though I'm accustomed to the noise, it still makes me nervous.


The residue is thick and the memory fails
The memory of the past is foggy and difficult to recall.


I still laugh 'cause the path feels a lot like a trail
Despite the challenges, I can find humor in my journey.


We used to be a couple of pimps walking the hallways with pride
We used to be confident and swagger through the hallways.


Drunk or sober, life was nothing short of rollercoaster rides
Life was always unpredictable, whether sober or intoxicated.


Trip to the clubs, now the skull to the rhythm
We used to party at the clubs, now we have to face life's rhythm.


All we wanted out of life was what was given
We were content with what life gave us.


And when you passed I wanted to take back the time we wasted
After you died, I wished I could have spent more time with you.


I'd trade all the buzzes in for one more conversation
I would give up all my vices for the chance to talk to you again.


We can sit in the shade and discuss the meaning of sacred
We could sit in the shade and talk about the deeper meanings of life.


Cause I can't see the garden no more, just the avens
I can't see the beauty of life anymore, only its negative aspects.


But the wind still blows and the plains still grow
Despite my troubles, life goes on.


And I wish your name was on the guest list at my shows
I wish you were there to see me perform.


I got to believe you can see me run up on my freedom
I believe you can see me pursue my dreams.


Cause you got to meet up with the son before you got to meet my son
You passed away before you could meet my son.


And when I see lightning, feels like my buzz is heightning
When I see lightning, it feels like my energy is increasing.


Everytime I feel the sun, I can smell the love
Feeling the warmth of the sun makes me feel loved.


And when I smell the air I can hear a child trying
The scent of fresh air makes me hear the sound of a child trying.


But everytime I hear a river I think the mother is crying
Hearing the sound of a river makes me imagine a sad mother crying.




Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Beat Junkie2016

The Opus are mad slept on, unbelievable production

sage w

Live version has more passion but this isn't bad.

Ramire BigHorn

I like!

stokelycalm

DOPE!

naircat

fukin' insane

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