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... ;-)
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... ;-)