Produced by The Other Two &… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Gillian Gilbert & Stephen Morris.
Produced by The Other Two & Tim Oliver.
Released June 1999 on Super Highways.
Features Mike Mooney (formerly of Spiritualized and Lupine Howl) on guitar.
The River
The Other Two Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And maybe sometimes your life is harder
Than I know
Someone like you just can't be right
Why would you say those things tonight
How lonely can one life be
Do you still feel the same as me
Oh who cares anyway
Let me take you up to the river
Let me wrap you inside a dream
Let me take you into the water
And show me the endless sea
You and me no longer
And maybe next time you'll think much harder
Than you know
Why don't you live your life
And on my own I'll be alright
Let me take you up to the river
Let me take you up to the river
(Let me take you) How lonely can one life be
(Up to the river) Do you still feel the same as me
(repeat to fade)
The Other Two’s song “The River” is a song about a relationship that has ended and the hurt that it caused. The lyrics are written in a conversational tone, describing the feelings of the singer towards her former partner. The opening lines, “Brains should make you smarter/And maybe sometimes your life is harder/Than I know,” convey the disappointment and frustration the singer has towards her partner’s actions, thinking that they should have known better. The next lines, “Someone like you just can't be right/Why would you say those things tonight,” seem to indicate that something specific happened that caused the end of the relationship, and the singer is questioning why her partner would have acted the way they did.
The chorus of the song, “How lonely can one life be/Do you still feel the same as me/How lonely can one life be/Oh who cares anyway,” reflects the loneliness that the singer feels after the breakup. She wonders if her partner is feeling the same sense of loneliness as she is and whether it will ever be possible for them to reconcile. The final lines of the song, “And on my own I'll be alright/Let me take you up to the river,” expresses the singer’s hope that she can move on from the relationship and make a new start.
Overall, the song is a melancholic meditation on the end of a relationship and the emotional fallout that occurs when two people part ways. The lyrics are spare and direct, conveying the pain and loneliness that the singer feels with a sense of honesty and directness.
Line by Line Meaning
Brains should make you smarter
Intellect should lead to greater knowledge and wisdom
And maybe sometimes your life is harder
Perhaps your existence endures difficult times
Than I know
More arduous than I understand
Someone like you just can't be right
An individual such as yourself must be incorrect
Why would you say those things tonight
What reason do you possess for uttering such statements this evening
How lonely can one life be
What level of isolation must one's existence withstand
Do you still feel the same as me
Do you continue to perceive things as I do
How lonely can one life be
What level of isolation must one's existence withstand
Oh who cares anyway
Quite frankly, it is inconsequential
Let me take you up to the river
Allow me to transport you to the body of water
Let me wrap you inside a dream
Let me envelop you within a fantasy
Let me take you into the water
Permit me to lead you into the H2O
And show me the endless sea
Then unveil the boundless ocean to me
You and me no longer
There is no longer an us
And maybe next time you'll think much harder
Perhaps in the future, you'll contemplate more intently
Than you know
More carefully than your current expertise allows
Why don't you live your life
Why don't you pursue your existence with vigor
And on my own I'll be alright
Meanwhile, I will manage independently
Let me take you up to the river
Allow me to transport you to the body of water
Let me take you up to the river
Allow me to transport you to the body of water
(Let me take you) How lonely can one life be
(Permit me to transport you) to what extent does one's existence endure isolation
(Up to the river) Do you still feel the same as me
(To the body of water) Do you continue to see things as I do
(repeat to fade)
(repeat until gradually fading away)
Contributed by Alaina C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
onenarrowdoor
How many people scream 'It's not New Order without Hooky!' but never said a word when Gillian wasn't around for a while? She is as important an ingredient to the New Order story as anybody else.
This is lovely, by the way.
K Edmodson
She’s certainly the best singer!
now
dedpxl - From what I have read, I think you're right there.
Han Solo
+dedpxl I don't want to believe that
Neil Evans
+dedpxl you are obviousley a part of the band to know this inside info.
Mike Sheffield
Really excellent song. Can't believe I'd never heard this until a couple of months ago.
R0b3rtao
One of my favourite songs by The Other Two (Stephen Morris + Gillian Gilbert, the geniuses from New Order). At the time, I would love if this song was released as single with a proper video...
TXP220
so many thanks for uploading...as an old New Order fan who only had their Tasty Fish single, after revisiting their tracks on Youtube, I've just ordered both their albums....Gillian..wow, what a lovely voice and great tune!
nosnad71
It's the best track this fantastic New Order offshoot duo did. Fantastic stuff - that keyboard line at 1:15 just soars your spirits.
Calia Kim
I am a newcomer to New Order and I've purchased The Other Two's albums from Amazon. They are really a giant bit of British pop scene and won;t be forgotten.