Peace Like A River Lyrics
In my opinion, this song represents oppression and its ever-changing role in society.
The title, "Peace Like a River", represents the time when the world will finally be at peace. In essence, PS is dreaming of a time when "Peace Like a River [runs] through the cities.
Long past the midnight curfew represents the oppression and the people of the city sitting starry-eyed represents the time when everyone finally stands up to the oppression and they are satisfied with their lives.
The second verse represents the world when all people will look back on oppression and say "I remember the days when misinformation followed us and we were unable to see if things would ever change." In essence, whenever anyone looks back on oppression (IE slavery) everyone seems to think "how did we ever do such a thing?" and in making reference to the civil war, many people thought that slavery should never change. In essence, it is a reference to this type of thought that plagues most oppressive regimes or types of rule.
The third verse makes reference to the ways in which people stand up to oppression, peacefully. The people are saying to their oppressors "you can beat us with wires and beat us with chains but you will never change the fact that we have made history." The reference to "I seen a glorious day" brings to light the importance of dreams in changing oppression. In essence, the people are saying to the oppressors "we have a dream and we will make that dream happen."
The final verse discusses how the people in this situation must deal with the frustration and wrongdoing of oppression, but they are reconciled by their dreams. The person is a civil rights fighter who wakes up in the middle of the night sadly thinking about all of the things that are wrong with the world but the dream of having a peaceful world is reconciling to him, although it has not yet happened. He feels helpless, bringing meaning to the words "Nowhere to go but back to sleep" and "but I am reconciled" explains how the dream gives him hope.
The final lines of the song leave us contemplating the ways in which dreams drive reality. The person who has dreamt is left unable to sleep but thinking of ways to make this dream a reality.
Of course it's subjective, but that seems a bit much. This song is a real memory song--when I first heard it about ten years ago in college, it reminded me of the kind of idealism young people can feel when they get together in the name of a cause, and the almost comic disorganization of their own peers that frustrates them. The line "misinformation followed us like a plague" reminds me of a death penalty vigil that I attended when I was about 19...we started out the evening believing we were going to change everything, but after being...
Of course it's subjective, but that seems a bit much. This song is a real memory song--when I first heard it about ten years ago in college, it reminded me of the kind of idealism young people can feel when they get together in the name of a cause, and the almost comic disorganization of their own peers that frustrates them. The line "misinformation followed us like a plague" reminds me of a death penalty vigil that I attended when I was about 19...we started out the evening believing we were going to change everything, but after being re-routed four or five times, we ended up feeling dumb and naive eating at some all-night breakfast place. I doubt he had something like that specifically in mind, but Paul Simon has a bit too much irony in his blood to write a straight-up "down with the tyrants" song. I have a hunch it's more microcosmic than that.
Well I'm with imjeffwhatever. The song is open to personal interpretation of course, but when I first heard it it felt to me like someone staring down the trials he's had to endure and still endures and somewhat making peace with the hope that a better day will come. Slavery actually was my first thought but I agree with his interpretation of it being about oppression in general. I love it because the mood to me is so free but at the same time constrictive, I really don't know how he accomplished that.
Well I'm with imjeffwhatever. The song is open to personal interpretation of course, but when I first heard it it felt to me like someone staring down the trials he's had to endure and still endures and somewhat making peace with the hope that a better day will come. Slavery actually was my first thought but I agree with his interpretation of it being about oppression in general. I love it because the mood to me is so free but at the same time constrictive, I really don't know how he accomplished that.
a bit surprised no comments. anyways, this is one of my personal favorite simon songs. it seems to be about .. well nothing in particular, it's vague but it has some nice lines. hear ben kweller's song Lizzy if you like this song.
Why I like this song... ..I;m visualizing somethin' ut of listening unto this song.
this reminds me of when i was on the road from michigan to california for the first time and how everyone misinformed me in LA. Which I despise Venice Beach or at
least what has happened to it. I can Imagine it used to be an amazing place.
I love Paul Simon. When I hear this song, I have more of an emotional response than a mental one.
Didn't mean to hit send, oops.
Didn't mean to hit send, oops.
Whenever I hear it, I always think the beginning sounds like a prayer. I just looked it up and realized it is from a prayer, called "It is Well with My Soul" [Check out the long version of info and full text of hymn here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul]. The hymn was written by a guy who had lost all of his children to tragedy. His wife survived a shipwreck which his daughters did not, and he wrote the hymn in surrender to God's will, despite his horrible loss. He is saying that no matter what God...
Whenever I hear it, I always think the beginning sounds like a prayer. I just looked it up and realized it is from a prayer, called "It is Well with My Soul" [Check out the long version of info and full text of hymn here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul]. The hymn was written by a guy who had lost all of his children to tragedy. His wife survived a shipwreck which his daughters did not, and he wrote the hymn in surrender to God's will, despite his horrible loss. He is saying that no matter what God gives him he will accept because it is God's will.
"When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul."
Personally, I believe Paul was raised with a lot of religion around him (from his family, neighbors of different faiths, etc) tho it is just a guess. It seems to me like this song is a nightmare he had- especially due to the last verse. "Nowhere to go but back to sleep, still I'm reconciled I'm going to be up for a while." Between the snippets of a hymn and a dream about slavery and people's right to be free, I hear this song. I'll get off of my soapbox now!
Just wondering if he's making a reference to the bible. The phrase "peace like a river" is not a particularly obvious metaphor, but it is used in Isaiah chapter 66. "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, ... For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; ... For this is what the Lord says: 'I will extend peace to her like a river, ... and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.'” In the first verse of Paul Simon's song, he has the "peace like a river" metaphor as well as the image of satisfaction.
Now I'm wondering whether the second verse indicates that he thinks he was beein hoodwinked, or whether he sees the new peace as a relief or respite?
Great, great song. It definitely has an early 70s vibe, when social activism and civil rights were the hot topic.
he "wakes up out of his dream" to face reality. His vision of a glorious day was just a dream, and now he has to face an uncertain future. Something we all hav to do as a race of people.
I also agree with Felicity's interpretation. The songs vision of a glorious day could be that of the Second Coming, when peace will conquer all and mankind will be united under one? Perhaps the narrator's faith is being tested, full of doubt over the future and the evil in the world.