The Other Side
Vapors of Morphine Lyrics


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Going down to the river
There's a man I wanna see
Yea he's the ferryman
He'll recognize me
I'm going down now to the riverside
There's a place I wanna be
I'm going to talk to the ferryman
He'll be expecting me
I'm crossing over now to the other side
Life is better there on the other side
The grass is greener there on the other side
And I I get even there on the other side
And everything will turn out all right
On the other side
I'm crossing over now to the other side
The other side
I walked by the church house late last night
Yea I walked by the church house but I didn't go inside
Cause I I once slept with the preacher's wife
She handed me a ticket to the other side




I'm crossing over now to the other side
To the other side

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Vapors of Morphine's song The Other Side are somewhat cryptic, but seem to be about a journey to a better place. The singer is going down to the river to talk to the ferryman, who will recognize him. This seems to suggest that the singer has made this journey before, or has some familiarity with it. The next line, "there's a place I wanna be," further emphasizes the idea that the singer is searching for something, or has a destination in mind.


The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I'm crossing over now to the other side," which reinforces the idea that the singer is leaving something behind and moving toward something new. The lyrics also suggest that this new place is better than where the singer is currently, with lines like "life is better there on the other side" and "the grass is greener there on the other side." The phrase "I get even there on the other side" is a bit more difficult to interpret, but could suggest that the singer is seeking some kind of justice or balance in the new place.


The second verse provides a bit more context for the journey, with the singer walking by a church house. The mention of sleeping with the preacher's wife and receiving a "ticket to the other side" could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could mean that the singer has sinned in some way and is seeking redemption, or that he has been given some kind of opportunity or reward for his actions.


Overall, the song seems to be about a journey to a new, better place, whether that's a physical location or a metaphorical one. The repeated chorus emphasizes the idea of leaving something behind and moving forward, and the cryptic lyrics leave room for interpretation and reflection.


Line by Line Meaning

Going down to the river
Heading towards the river


There's a man I wanna see
There is a specific person the singer is searching for


Yea he's the ferryman
The person being sought after is a ferryman


He'll recognize me
The artist expects to be recognized by the ferryman


I'm going down now to the riverside
The artist is approaching the side of the river


There's a place I wanna be
The singer wants to go to a specific location on the other side of the river


I'm going to talk to the ferryman
The singer plans on speaking with the ferryman they are seeking


He'll be expecting me
The artist believes the ferryman is anticipating their arrival


I'm crossing over now to the other side
The artist is in the process of crossing the river


Life is better there on the other side
The artist expects life to be better on the other side of the river


The grass is greener there on the other side
The singer believes the quality of life is superior on the other side


And I I get even there on the other side
The artist expects to get revenge on the other side for something in their past


And everything will turn out all right
The singer is optimistic that everything will work out in their favor


On the other side
Reinforces the singer's desire to be on the other side of the river


I'm crossing over now to the other side
Reiterates the singer's current actions of crossing the river


The other side
Refers to the opposite side of the river


I walked by the church house late last night
The artist walked past a church during the night


Yea I walked by the church house but I didn't go inside
Despite walking by the church, the singer chose not to go inside


Cause I I once slept with the preacher's wife
The singer had relations with the preacher's spouse in the past


She handed me a ticket to the other side
As a result of the affair, the preacher's wife gave the artist an opportunity to cross the river


I'm crossing over now to the other side
The artist is once again stating their intent to cross the river


To the other side
Refers to the desired location on the opposite side of the river




Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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