Let The River Run

This is a hymn to New York City. Where a river of dreams is manifested in the people, great and small, who flow into that silver city each morning. New York's sons and daughters from all corners of the globe create the new capital city of the world, where their questions can be freely asked and their longings pursued if they dare dream.

The song is about making the most of chances given to us. "The New Jerusalem" is a way of saying making to the a promised land, whatever that may be for each of us. It talks about the nervousness we all feel when facing a new situation in life. The uncertainty that makes us ache deep down. The "dark'ning dawn" is another way of saying "it's always darkest before the dawn", meaning our uncertainty of a change is usually at its worst right before we go into it.

Because of the context of the song in Working Girl, I've always interpreted this song as ironic. Rather than celebrating the arrival of Jews on the shores of NY, for me, it's a comment about how big finance has become the new religion. I see the inspirational intensity as a reflection of bloviating gazillionaires.

I agree with @ccjockey, that the New Jerusalem may be a promised land. The Jewish undertone may be due to Carly Simon having a Jewish father, and as a result most likely a Jewish upbringing, but I dont think it is purely Jewish. I think the lyrics relate to all of us. New Jerusalem being as poignant to Christians as Jews. The sons and daughters may well be the children of the land (country), and are coming through a fog of dissent and trouble and the future is up to them to choose. The future being the Promised Land (New Jerusalem). "Let the river run, let all the dreamers wake the nation." Seems to tie this idea together - The river being "creativity", "imagination" and let the "dreamers" of that new nation lead the rest. "Silver cities..." is to me an embodiment of those dreams. "Its asking..." means its up for grabs for anyone who dares to dream. She herself yearns to start, or be involved. Maybe she even compares herself to Moses who delivered the people to the promised land (as she brings us to this) but could not enter.

This is a paean of hope for the future of the world. It is about a new era of humankind, ushered in by a new generation (sort of the perfect counter to Nick Cave's "O' Children".) The river runs, it is not dammed up, washing away the old, and bringing the new. The new Jerusalem is a figure of speech in English not confined to any religion; Jerusalem was founded by the Canaanite Pagans and later conquered by the Jews, the Romans, and many other peoples. The New Jerusalem is a fresh start for teaching peace (Semitic Jeru- "to teach", -salem "peace" cognate to the Arabic Salaam and the Hebraic Shalom.) The silver cities rising brings back an often forgotten verse of America the Beautiful also looking to the future: "O beautiful for patriot dream, That sees beyond the years; Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears!" The sirens can be taken two ways; sirens as used on emergency vehicles - or a siren (creature of water, of the rivers) song to the future, asking for the taking. All peoples are included, the great and small, meteoric desires in the night bringing on the dawn; a blue sky dawning, vivid beyond imagining.

that anyone can make their dreams come true through hard work

Can you explain this more, please? I've always loved this song but never understood what the lyrics actually meant... I'd really love to hear more. Thanks!

I don't even really like Carly Simon, but this is an incredibly powerful and uplifting song. Her voice is so strong and clear, as are the lyrics.

I don`t know what it means, maybe it is something related to the arrival of the jewish inmigrants to new york (The new jerusalem)...maybe it has something to do with the movie was done for.... any clue?

Confuses the hell out of me by signing about a dark'ning dawn! My experience is the opposite. Mind, with so many songs with gobbledegook lyrics, what's another one between friends??