River Cross

[96583UP]

Thoughts on lyrics:

I always start across that river
you're the sight distant now

-> You are a figure on the other side of the riverbank. I am crossing to meet you there

As I got close it turned and widened
rising now fading out

-> As I crossed it became difficult

Oh drifting off in the undertow
Can't spot a figure on dry land

-> I am swept into the current now and cannot see you on the river bank

After thoughts of safety
when in truth none to be had
None to be had

-> I fear for my safety as the current takes me away

I used to tell time by my shadow
Til' thunder clouds they took a stage

-> Things used to be good and somewhat carefree, then they got more difficult

The days will end as do the lights raise
Now read of the same page

-> The sun will set (sadness) and the sun will rise (happiness)

Wide awake through this deepest night
Still waiting on the sun

-> I mourn your loss in the sadness of night

As the hours seem to multiply
Find me a star to soldier on

->I try to find hope as this endless night carrie on

Only then beneath the lion's paw
Knowing nothing can be tamed
can be tamed

-> I feel powerless under the weight of this sadness

Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold us down
Don't hold me down

-> I can't let this sadness hold me down

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down

-> We need to find happiness again

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down, down

Don't hold us down
Don't hold us down
hold us down

first serious post in the last 1,100 not to be bottom paged

[96583UP]

yeah i really like it too. whether it's a PJ or EV song, i hope it's in their canon to work on

and it was

[Strat]

Thoughts on lyrics:

I always start across that river
you're the sight distant now

-> You are a figure on the other side of the riverbank. I am crossing to meet you there

As I got close it turned and widened
rising now fading out

-> As I crossed it became difficult

Oh drifting off in the undertow
Can't spot a figure on dry land

-> I am swept into the current now and cannot see you on the river bank

After thoughts of safety
when in truth none to be had
None to be had

-> I fear for my safety as the current takes me away

I used to tell time by my shadow
Til' thunder clouds they took a stage

-> Things used to be good and somewhat carefree, then they got more difficult

The days will end as do the lights raise
Now read of the same page

-> The sun will set (sadness) and the sun will rise (happiness)

Wide awake through this deepest night
Still waiting on the sun

-> I mourn your loss in the sadness of night

As the hours seem to multiply
Find me a star to soldier on

->I try to find hope as this endless night carrie on

Only then beneath the lion's paw
Knowing nothing can be tamed
can be tamed

-> I feel powerless under the weight of this sadness

Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold us down
Don't hold me down

-> I can't let this sadness hold me down

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down

-> We need to find happiness again

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down, down

Don't hold us down
Don't hold us down
hold us down

first serious post in the last 1,100 not to be bottom paged

First serious post of your rm career

[96583UP]

no, i take the food and dining forum relatively seriously

[scrub12]

I’ve always heard the first line as...

“I always thought I’d cross that river
The other side, distant now
As I got close it turned and widened
The horizon now, fading out”

[Homeboyd]

I was kinda meh on this song the first time but it's certainly grown on me...hopefully it keeps the melancholy vibe on the album. Too often the full band takes these small Ed songs and tries to make them uplifting and it doesn't work.

[Bammer]

Thoughts on lyrics:

I always start across that river
you're the sight distant now

-> You are a figure on the other side of the riverbank. I am crossing to meet you there

As I got close it turned and widened
rising now fading out

-> As I crossed it became difficult

Oh drifting off in the undertow
Can't spot a figure on dry land

-> I am swept into the current now and cannot see you on the river bank

After thoughts of safety
when in truth none to be had
None to be had

-> I fear for my safety as the current takes me away

I used to tell time by my shadow
Til' thunder clouds they took a stage

-> Things used to be good and somewhat carefree, then they got more difficult

The days will end as do the lights raise
Now read of the same page

-> The sun will set (sadness) and the sun will rise (happiness)

Wide awake through this deepest night
Still waiting on the sun

-> I mourn your loss in the sadness of night

As the hours seem to multiply
Find me a star to soldier on

->I try to find hope as this endless night carrie on

Only then beneath the lion's paw
Knowing nothing can be tamed
can be tamed

-> I feel powerless under the weight of this sadness

Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold us down
Don't hold me down

-> I can't let this sadness hold me down

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down

-> We need to find happiness again

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down, down

Don't hold us down
Don't hold us down
hold us down

first serious post in the last 1,100 not to be bottom paged

First serious post of your rm career

Actually not true

[Anders]

Thoughts on lyrics:

I always start across that river
you're the sight distant now

-> You are a figure on the other side of the riverbank. I am crossing to meet you there

As I got close it turned and widened
rising now fading out

-> As I crossed it became difficult

Oh drifting off in the undertow
Can't spot a figure on dry land

-> I am swept into the current now and cannot see you on the river bank

After thoughts of safety
when in truth none to be had
None to be had

-> I fear for my safety as the current takes me away

I used to tell time by my shadow
Til' thunder clouds they took a stage

-> Things used to be good and somewhat carefree, then they got more difficult

The days will end as do the lights raise
Now read of the same page

-> The sun will set (sadness) and the sun will rise (happiness)

Wide awake through this deepest night
Still waiting on the sun

-> I mourn your loss in the sadness of night

As the hours seem to multiply
Find me a star to soldier on

->I try to find hope as this endless night carrie on

Only then beneath the lion's paw
Knowing nothing can be tamed
can be tamed

-> I feel powerless under the weight of this sadness

Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold me down
Don't hold us down
Don't hold me down

-> I can't let this sadness hold me down

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down

-> We need to find happiness again

Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down
Share the light
don't hold us down, down

Don't hold us down
Don't hold us down
hold us down

That’s really good. Made me think of the lyrics a bit differently.

[Clem Halibut]

I love Harrison Ford's vocals on this song.

[tree_]

I wonder if he was the pilot too

[mvw]

I love Harrison Ford's vocals on this song.

He sounds so good for being 77! I’m hoping Mike has a nice (Han) Solo on this one.

[OmegaprimeVKM]

having heard this live version, I'm not really arsed about this one. It's nice for Eddie to revist the pump organ but he's merely doing it for the sake of the novelty and not new creative output.

[Birds in Hell]

having heard this live version, I'm not really arsed about this one. It's nice for Eddie to revist the pump organ but he's merely doing it for the sake of the novelty and not new creative output.

What are all the other “Eddie Vedder on pump organ” songs?

[OmegaprimeVKM]

having heard this live version, I'm not really arsed about this one. It's nice for Eddie to revist the pump organ but he's merely doing it for the sake of the novelty and not new creative output.

What are all the other “Eddie Vedder on pump organ” songs?

Long Road, which I thought was written on one, and a bunch of dull live covers that makes people in the crowd chat.

Come to think of it, you can't exclude LBC from that list too

[Birds in Hell]

having heard this live version, I'm not really arsed about this one. It's nice for Eddie to revist the pump organ but he's merely doing it for the sake of the novelty and not new creative output.

What are all the other “Eddie Vedder on pump organ” songs?

Long Road, which I thought was written on one, and a bunch of dull live covers that makes people in the crowd chat.

Ed wrote Long Road on guitar. He's talked on stage before (San Diego 2006, I think) about how it was inspired by the death of one his former schoolteacher and the ringing D note in the song reminded him of a school bell.

Neil Young does play pump organ on the studio recording, but that's Neil, not Ed, and it was 25 years ago.

I can't think of any live covers he's played on the pump organ apart from the Fugazi song which he played on a few of his solo shows, which is what this song directly grew out of (unless I'm remembering incorrectly).

Sorry, I don't mean to bust your chops, I just didn't get where the comment was coming from.

[WtOB?]

maybe the recorded river cross is so much longer because it has a HIDDEN TRACK to piss off spotify listeners. maybe the HIDDEN TRACK is fugazi's i'm so tired.

[warehouse]

maybe the recorded river cross is so much longer because it has a HIDDEN TRACK to piss off spotify listeners. maybe the HIDDEN TRACK is fugazi's i'm so tired.

i thought about this, but wouldnt we have heard from the listening party there's a hidden track?

also, am i wrong to assume River Cross is about a friend who passed considering it preceded 'im so tired' live?

[igotworms]

I know it's only a tiny snippet that we've heard of the studio version, and Harrison Ford is intoning over the lot of it, but the guitar you can hear is making me very apprehensive. Even on this tiny clip it already sounds like they're gilding the lily.

[Ms Harmless]

I know it's only a tiny snippet that we've heard of the studio version, and Harrison Ford is intoning over the lot of it, but the guitar you can hear is making me very apprehensive. Even on this tiny clip it already sounds like they're gilding the lily.

where is the guitar?

[igotworms]

I know it's only a tiny snippet that we've heard of the studio version, and Harrison Ford is intoning over the lot of it, but the guitar you can hear is making me very apprehensive. Even on this tiny clip it already sounds like they're gilding the lily.

where is the guitar?

Left channel, from the 40 second mark.