According to JT, this is his brother Livingston's poem about how he saved his marriage.
There is a certain irony, I would say, in the river and the mountain (a river's source) asking the boatman to deliver him.
The lyrics at the end on the original album go "Holy roller, I am the river..." Instead of 'Boatman.' Indicating a certain (perhaps vague) religious idea. Also, consider the meaning of the chorus if you parse the 'I am' as not an instance of the verb 'to be' in the first person singular, but as instead one of the names of God ('I am that I am')
You would have to read more about Livingston Taylor to know for certain if he indeed intends the I AM to be parsed this way, but it makes for an interesting interpretation of the chorus.
@riverc
Thanks so much for your clarification! I simply Love this song, melody n words. Yes I agree that the I refers to a higher power, maybe nature. The boat man may be God
Great Song!
@riverc
Thanks so much for your clarification! I simply Love this song, melody n words. Yes I agree that the I refers to a higher power, maybe nature. The boat man may be God
Great Song!
According to JT, this is his brother Livingston's poem about how he saved his marriage.
There is a certain irony, I would say, in the river and the mountain (a river's source) asking the boatman to deliver him.
The lyrics at the end on the original album go "Holy roller, I am the river..." Instead of 'Boatman.' Indicating a certain (perhaps vague) religious idea. Also, consider the meaning of the chorus if you parse the 'I am' as not an instance of the verb 'to be' in the first person singular, but as instead one of the names of God ('I am that I am')
You would have to read more about Livingston Taylor to know for certain if he indeed intends the I AM to be parsed this way, but it makes for an interesting interpretation of the chorus.
@riverc Thanks so much for your clarification! I simply Love this song, melody n words. Yes I agree that the I refers to a higher power, maybe nature. The boat man may be God Great Song!
@riverc Thanks so much for your clarification! I simply Love this song, melody n words. Yes I agree that the I refers to a higher power, maybe nature. The boat man may be God Great Song!