| Mew – Cross the River on Your Own Lyrics | 10 years ago |
|
I'm going to differ from the other interpretations here in favor of a more... fantasy-based one. There are several hints throughout the story of this song that the narrator has lived a long time - what if they are immortal, and would live forever? "Long as I've been alive, old as I am," "In time although my hair turns grey and grizzly," and "I hope you'll learn what Heaven knows, who cares if I go?" Establishing this, the narrator outlives everybody he meets, including those he loves. He wishes the best for those who he loves and loses, hoping that they find joy, meaning and paradise in the afterlife, even though he knows he can never see them there. At the same time, he laments that he can never have a lifelong companion. How did this narrator come to have this condition? Well, according to Greek myth, there exists the River Styx, in which one can be bathed to acquire physical immortality. The function of this is a bit different, as the Styx has never been known to grant freedom from old age death, as far as I know... but the concept is the same. What if our narrator has found himself in a state following such a thing? He's crossed the river. He might not have meant to cross it. His thoughts are wrought with a short-sighted secret. It's even suggested he's not alone, that they'd need to follow "us" there. And he can't bring anybody else along with him to become the same as he is, be it by restriction of the river's power, or his own goodness and reluctance to bring anyone else into his same condition... They need to cross the river on their own. On the other side, you'll want to go far away... |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.