Song is about egypt, hence its original title "Egyptian Song".
"Jumped in the river what did I see, black eyed angels swam with me" - the river is the Nile, the black eyed angels are crocodiles which were deified in ancient egypt. Note the black eyes:
The line: "All my lovers were there with me" - pharoahs were typically buried with their wives. Not only that but their soldiers and possessions from their mortal life.
Which leads to "we all went to heaven in a little row boat", pharoahs were also buried with boats, sometimes entire fleets of ships to make passage to the underworld.
Song is about egypt, hence its original title "Egyptian Song".
"Jumped in the river what did I see, black eyed angels swam with me" - the river is the Nile, the black eyed angels are crocodiles which were deified in ancient egypt. Note the black eyes:
http://images.wildmadagascar.org/pictures/berenty/nile_crocodile_0082.jpg
The line: "All my lovers were there with me" - pharoahs were typically buried with their wives. Not only that but their soldiers and possessions from their mortal life.
Which leads to "we all went to heaven in a little row boat", pharoahs were also buried with boats, sometimes entire fleets of ships to make passage to the underworld.