Harlem River Blues Lyrics
Also, it's "walking up the FDR", not "up the empty yard". 'The FDR' is Franklin Delano Roosevelt Drive, the parkway that runs alonside the Harlem River.
I really like this song, the concept seems to be very original. The second verse gives away the meaning. Its obviously about suicide but, it seems as though things are going well for him (in the song), but he knows “good times come and they go”, and he is afraid of the hard times because in hard times “even a good man’ll break”, so he wants to end it while things are good and he is “still good in His grace”. A fools game for sure in real life, but a good concept for a great song.
It's "...give my money to my baby to spend", not just "give my money to my baby". Good work otherwise.
cannot stop listening to it! i think this line explains it all: "I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate." drown yourself while you're still young, basically.
@fireplace Yep. I love that line!!
@fireplace Yep. I love that line!!
This is a really great song with a really deep meaning. Although I've heard that he was talking about being baptized and washing away sins, not literally drowning.
To the above poster; baptism is a nice thought but it's definitely about suicide..
To the above poster; baptism is a nice thought but it's definitely about suicide..
"Tell my mama I love her, tell my father I tried, give my money to my baby to spend"
"Tell my mama I love her, tell my father I tried, give my money to my baby to spend"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRAraXJ3vTI&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRAraXJ3vTI&feature=relmfu
In that interview he talks about the song is actually based on the mass baptisms that happened in the South and is a reference to the Basketball Diaries. He also says before playing the song for that same Rolling Stones song that it is about "washing away your sins, no matter how deep you have to dive".
In that interview he talks about the song is actually based on the mass baptisms that happened in the South and is a reference to the Basketball Diaries. He also says before playing the song for that same Rolling Stones song that it is about "washing away your sins, no matter how deep you have to dive".
The song is about baptizing yourself and washing away your sins, even if it means drowning in the process would be my guess.
The song is about baptizing yourself and washing away your sins, even if it means drowning in the process would be my guess.
I've always assumed this song is about his heroin addiction. He's going to Harlem to buy heroin, and he knows what his addiction is doing to him. The song being particularly tragic given his death from an opiod overdose.