River Man Lyrics

Lyric discussion by BaconDork 

Cover art for River Man lyrics by Nick Drake

I see this song as Betty contemplating suicide. The River Man is god. The part that really sticks out for me is:

Betty said she prayed today For the sky to blow away Or Maybe stay she wasn't sure.

To me that means she wasn't sure of whether or not she way ready for her life to end. She wants to stay, but at the same time she feels she isn't happy anymore.

For when she thought of summer rain Calling for her mind again She lost the pain And stayed for more.

I think that means that she thought of a happy memory, and it made her happy for a moment, enough for her to forget the pain and unhappiness she was feeling. So in that moment, she decided to stay in this world for just a little while longer.

Going to see the River Man Going to tell him all I can about the ban on feeling free

If he tells me all he knows About the way his river flows I don't suppose it's meant for me

To me that's her praying again. Asking god to give her that happiness and freedom she once felt. If her future holds more pain and sadness, she feels like this world is not meant for her.

Oh how they come and go.

That's basically saying that people live and die. As it has always been. They come and go.

Betty might be Nick in this instance.

My Interpretation