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Mersey Paradise Lyrics
River splashes against the rocks,
And I scale the slope,
I hope the tracks won't,
Lead me down to dark black pits,
Or places where we fall to bits,
If she were there I'd hold her down,
I'd push her under while she drowns
And couldn't breathe and claw for air-
She doesn't care for my despair,
Or is it me?
The one that's wrong?
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
As I stare an oil wheel comes sailing by,
And I feel like,
Growing fins and falling in,
With the bricks the bikes, the rusty tin
I swim around without a care,
I'm eating sand when I need air,
You can bet your life
I'll meet a pike who'll wolf me down for tea tonight
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drowning's done,
(drowning's done),
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drowning's done,
(drowning's done),
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
Oh yeah
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drowning's done,
(drowning's done),
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise.
And I scale the slope,
I hope the tracks won't,
Lead me down to dark black pits,
Or places where we fall to bits,
If she were there I'd hold her down,
I'd push her under while she drowns
And couldn't breathe and claw for air-
She doesn't care for my despair,
The one that's wrong?
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
And I feel like,
Growing fins and falling in,
With the bricks the bikes, the rusty tin
I swim around without a care,
I'm eating sand when I need air,
You can bet your life
I'll meet a pike who'll wolf me down for tea tonight
Where the drowning's done,
(drowning's done),
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise
Where the drowning's done,
(drowning's done),
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
Oh yeah
I want to be, I want to be,
Where the drowning's done,
(drowning's done),
You see that in this heat,
River cools where I belong,
In my Mersey paradise.
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Having read the definitive book on the Roses by John Robb: Mersey Paradise is Ian Brown's reflection on a childhood incident. The Mersey flowed near where he grew up and there was a drowning murder in the area, apparently by a man killing a woman over unrequited love. Brown seems to be putting himself in the place of the murdered "If she were here I'd hold her down, push her under while she drowns". I would also think a boat passed and was witness to the murder so he wanted to jump in and grow fins to escape...
A tune to die for.
Madchester's finest 3 minutes and more than just a nod to The Beatles 'Here comes the sun'.
Then the go and release it as a B side. Unbelieveable. one of the best songs ever by probably the best band ever.
There I've said it.
I agree with you mate. I am always impressed my bands that have the balls to place their best songs as B-sides. There are not that many. One thing that strikes me is that it is not included on "the Very Best" collection. I feel the band probably thought it was too poppy for the LP as well, would have not fit in so well. Cheers.
I agree with you mate. I am always impressed my bands that have the balls to place their best songs as B-sides. There are not that many. One thing that strikes me is that it is not included on "the Very Best" collection. I feel the band probably thought it was too poppy for the LP as well, would have not fit in so well. Cheers.
I'm from liverpool and agree that its a piss take. But i think its a brilliant pastiche of sun-drenched beachboysy pop, but rather than about california its about a the scruffy countryside fringing the mersey between Manchester and Liverpool where the roses used to play as kids. I used to play there and the song fits it perfectly - ironic genius!
is the pike really a pikey? an irish descended gypsy or 'new age traveller' who can often be found in and around liverpool. Similar to the Pikey who sold me Nan a new tarmac drive she didn't want?
very 60's, certainley a take off on the 'mersey beat' sound, i don't know as this song is a piss take as Liverpool is pronounced as 'River Cool' and it sounds like Ian may want to fall into the Liverpool scene - which was much cooler than the Manchester one at the time. love the line "the bricks, the bike, the rusty tin" - i get the image of the terraced houses, back yards and alley ways in my head.
Aren't these items in the water?
Aren't these items in the water?
It's ambiguously a piss take on the Beatles and Liverpool and homage to 'Here Comes the Sun' and Merseybeat.
Genius.
The Mersey is a river in England that runs near Manchester (the Roses home town) among other places. This song sounds slightly suicidal, possibly because of a girl ("she doesn't care about my despair") but then again it could be for any number of reasons. Maybe its a reflection of times as a kid when the world seemd to want to drag you down.
r they playin with words?? liverpools where i belong.
The Mersey does flow through Manchester, but it is a river that is always associated with Liverpool - a town most mancunians despise. This song is obviously a piss take on Liverpool (river cool). Mani once said in an interview he liked this song because all the dregs form Manchester end up in Liverpool.
Quite simply one of my favorite songs by a truly amazing group. Love the bass guitar line.