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Take Me To The River Lyrics
I don't know why I love her like I do
All the changes you put me through
Take my money, my cigarettes
I haven't seen the worst of it yet
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Take me to the river, dip me in the water
Washing me down, washing me down
I don't know why you treat me so bad
Think of all the things we could have had
Love is an ocean that I can't forget
My sweet sixteen I would never regret
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Push me in the river, dip me in the water
Washing me down, washing me
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me
Till I can't, till I can't, till I can't take no more of it
Take me to the water, drop me in the river
Push me in the water, drop me in the river
Washing me down, washing me down
I don't know why I love you like I do
All the troubles you put me through
Sixteen candles there on my wall
And here am I the biggest fool of them all
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
Washing me down, washing me down.
All the changes you put me through
Take my money, my cigarettes
I haven't seen the worst of it yet
I wanna know that you'll tell me
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Take me to the river, dip me in the water
Washing me down, washing me down
Think of all the things we could have had
Love is an ocean that I can't forget
My sweet sixteen I would never regret
I love to stay
Take me to the river, drop me in the water
Push me in the river, dip me in the water
Washing me down, washing me
Till I can't, till I can't, till I can't take no more of it
Take me to the water, drop me in the river
Push me in the water, drop me in the river
Washing me down, washing me down
All the troubles you put me through
Sixteen candles there on my wall
And here am I the biggest fool of them all
I love to stay
Take me to the river and drop me in the water
Dip me in the river, drop me in the water
Washing me down, washing me down.
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First of all, these lyrics are a little off.
"I don't know why I love you like I do . . . "
"I want to know, can you tell me . . . "
This song, at least the older soul version, is not sung to a human lover, but to god, who washes him down in baptism and takes his money and cigarettes in turning him from vice to virtue. The river refers to John's baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. The Al Green version has "won't you cleanse my soul" and "I haven't seen hide nor hair of you yet."
If you find "hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me" a little racy for god, think of the Song of Songs and the tradition of bridal mysticism, where the devout enter a romantic/erotic relationship with (a) god.
Now, if you think the Talking Heads' version is a bit more ironic than Al Green's, that's another story.
@anat It is an analogy, and the relation of love for the sixteen year old to the single soul and the water is the deep beauty of it, but lost if the lower is collapsed into the higher. The bride is not an individual, but the mystical body. Nor is God like a single beloved to us-that is a confusion. But in the right direction. It is the same water!
@anat It is an analogy, and the relation of love for the sixteen year old to the single soul and the water is the deep beauty of it, but lost if the lower is collapsed into the higher. The bride is not an individual, but the mystical body. Nor is God like a single beloved to us-that is a confusion. But in the right direction. It is the same water!
@anat Actually Al Green co-wrote the song with Mason Hodgesand Hodges wrote the verses about money, cigarettes and sixteen candles, so I think there were two different narratives going on... ;-)
@anat Actually Al Green co-wrote the song with Mason Hodgesand Hodges wrote the verses about money, cigarettes and sixteen candles, so I think there were two different narratives going on... ;-)
These lyrics are incorrect, pretty much everywhere on the internet. The first line of the chorus ends in "Am I in love to stay?" listen closer
"I don't know why I love her like I do", guys, isn't it wonderful? It's like he's saying that he loves for reasons unknown, but will always do it... It's the mystery of love, that makes it so exciting, so sweet and so eternal...
David Byrne has always had an obsession with water and fire. This can be seen across many of Talking Head's sonsg such as Burning Down The House, Love -> Building On Fire and Once In A Lifetime. Both fire and water hasd the power to cleanse abeit different ways. David also incorperates love into these. Perhas he is saying that he wants to cleansed of all feelings and only wants to be left with love. It is clear in the lyrics he know the benefits and consequences of this desire. You can be warmed by fire and washed by water and you can be burnt by fire and you can drown in water. The lyrics in Talking Heads's cover are slightly altered to suit this feeling.
Don't forget the line "I'm not a drowning man, I'm not a burning building" in Born Under Punches.
Don't forget the line "I'm not a drowning man, I'm not a burning building" in Born Under Punches.
this song is originally by Al Green i believe, but I like the Talking Heads cover better!!
The original is by Al Green. This song is awesome. It has you right from the beginning, the beat is so great.
Great song with so mant subliminal messages.
"I don't know why I L O V E Y O U like I do" "Don't know why you treat me so bad" ill take a swim. "The water"
Sounds to me like he is in love with a 16 year old and it has caused him trouble.
I think the River is a metaphor for their love making.
I really think this song is about being tormented by a younger lover who walks all over him and takes advantage of him (not bryne but just the protagonist). Think about this.
I really think this song is about being tormented by a younger lover who walks all over him and takes advantage of him (not bryne but just the protagonist). Think about this.
He is so in lust he will let her do anything to him. He is at her will in almost a sickening way. To get what he wants from her which is an sex his perversion an orgasm.
He is so in lust he will let her do anything to him. He is at her will in almost a sickening way. To get what he wants from her which is an sex his perversion an orgasm.
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me Till I can't, till I can't, till I can't take no more of it Take me to the water, drop me in the river Push...
Hug me, squeeze me, love me, tease me Till I can't, till I can't, till I can't take no more of it Take me to the water, drop me in the river Push me in the water, drop me in the river Washing me down, washing me down
Now here is what makes me believe it is a younger lover who ultimately can get him in trouble but because of his own perversion plus a lover who will not see his flaws and just take without questioning his flaws ... he takes the risk in which one may call him a fool for.
I don't know why I love you like I do All the troubles you put me through Sixteen candles there on my wall And here am I the biggest fool of them all
a story of teenage lust and wishing to purify himself of the thoughts... double entendre with his lust and baptism.
the live version of this with the back up singers is even better than the studio one.