Riverwide

wow I can't believe there's no comments on this, I think it's my favourite sheryl crow song. But i guess describing the meaning behind it is pretty hard. i guess like all good songs it's about love, it seems to be about how she fights for a relationship to work, is desperate for that someone to be there for her. but in the end perhaps ends up pushing him away? anyways, I love this song, and sometimes it's better not to read to much into these things, just enjoy it.

This is probably my favourite Sheryl song, too. The instrumental version is especially HOT! In the The Globe Sessions EPK she says this song wrote itself...and that even to this day she doesn't know what it means, but it is about struggling, definitely. I became enamoured of this song right away when I listened to it, back in 1998. I was 13 years old and I didn't speak any English, but playing this song in a boombox, at 3 am, in the beach, and the sea making choruses for this song... wow. Magical experience. Nowadays, I have applied this song to describe very shitty days and state of minds...when your job sucks, you're broke, your love life is in the mud, etc. and yet, there is someone you love, but are afraid to "infect" with your shitty life, maybe because you feel you don't deserve them... Brilliant song.

I agree that this is an beautiful, truthful, exceptional song. Although I don't particurlarly agree with the other postings...

In my opinion, the underlying meaning speaks of: Fear; Being overwhelmed; Giving up an IDEA of what something is once you begin to understand the TRUTH of what it REALLY is and can only be seen retrospectively, then finding the strength to find a way out and the courage to start again. (lovely and fine I could have been...)

Feeling week, fearful and alone longing for security.

It’s about living with the choices that we make and the pain that comes from them and trusting yourself even after we have made an error in judgment and/or perception.

It also deals with the way that we are perceived by others after we 'fail'.

I also love this song. One of my favorites by Sheryl, I must say.

I think the song's about a woman struggling from her filthy past, and wanting someone or something to come clear it out, but all she has is the countryside. Haha, I don't know. That's my point of view, this song is pretty hard to decipher.

This is the ONLY sheryl crow song I like. It's genius. But I have to totally disagree with the other reviewers (other than moehead). It always struck me as a very literal song. Even the whale bit. To me it is the speaker knowing what the "good" choices in life are. What people expect her/him to do. eg-immersing yourself in religion (I'm pretty sure the whale bit is a story in the bible), or marrying the "right" man, but having the strengths to chose the other. Knowing that being "lovely and fine" meant "being in the palm of his hand" and that being in a whale with the signs means a lot of wasted time. I love songs like this cause there are so many ways for people to interpret them. That's cool! To me though this song is about freedom and wisdom and not waiting for anyone but to go towards what makes you happy.