Natalie Merchant - River Lyrics

Love this Song ❤️ !!

Never heard of her before but I'm going to check out this album... her voice is stunning

There's nothing better than when someone writes a song you could take the melody away from and the words actually mean something and tell a story

I love her beautiful voice, I put her on for company while at work

Je ne sais et je ne peux toujours pas vivre sans toi... et cela depuis que tu as déployé tes ailes mon Ange 💗💟💗

there are no words ..to express such sorrow. natalie..this song is a prayer in the wind..never ending..its journey.

A fact-based eulogy of River Phoenix wouldn't be nearly as poetic: "tfw a lightweight Hollywood pussy tried to party with the Red Hot Chilly Peppers..."

Young and strong Hollywood son
In the early morning light
This star fell down
On Sunset Boulevard
Young and strong beautiful one
We embraced so close
Is gone
Was torn away
Let the youth of America mourn
Include him in their prayers
Let his image linger on
Repeat it everywhere
With candles, with flowers
He was one of ours
One of ours
Why don't you let him be?
He's gone
We know
Give his mother and his father peace
Your vulture's candor
Your casual slander
You murder his memory
He's gone
We know
It's nothing but a tragedy
Lay to rest your soul and body
Lay beside your name
Lay to rest your rage
Your hunger and amazing grace
With candles, with flowers
You were one of ours
One of ours
I saw cameras expose your life
I heard rumors explode with lies
I saw children in tears
Cry and crowd around the sight
Of where you had collapsed that day
Where your last breath and word
Had been sighed
Where your heart had burst
Where you had died
I saw how they were lost in grieving
All half believing you were gone
The loss and pain of it
Crime and shame of it
You were gone
It was such a nightmare raving,
"how could we save him from himself?"

Thanks Bella, I thumbs up'd it to perc your comment to the top so that more people might follow along.

This was I think Natalie's first or 2nd solo venture after leaving 10,000 Maniacs. I had a fetish at the time for beautiful female voices singing and this CD was a rare purchase. The song's focus was not immediately apparent to me. It was deep in the play list but after playing thru a few times. I would often replay this _remarkable_ song.

The point I am getting at was the Internet was too young to be well known or used. Also at that time, traditional media was being taken over by fewer and fewer owners and they immediately launched into their policies of distraction so that people would ignore the newfound power of the few.

River's death was one example of exploitation. Another Hollywood Star there that night apparently mocked River nearby before he died. The media made a point of making that a point as well and it was years before that person's career recovered.

Natalie's song was not the focus of the CD, the song "River" did not get much attention nor airtime but soon the media did catch on to the message for them within and they then expressed "concern" for Natalie's "obsession" with River. You know, "change the narrative".

As others have said, to get a song written and performee like this is quite the compliment but it also is an example of her talent.

Radio stations now under this new ownership consolidation dutifully echoed the narrative yet just a few years later, the DJ's who played ball were laid off anyway thanks tp cost cutting, profit taking, getting new employees who were completely on-message and so forth.

Another irony is the attacks on River and Natalie spread to other celebrities as well. You could not rage against the machine (it's where that band's name comes from) without being criticized. Actors and actresses, more well known by sight who spoke out were told to "shut up and go back to acting". So where is the irony in this one? The power of consolidation was begun by a President whom the media still praises to this day. They do so, because he gave them their power, which people like Tedy and Franklin Roosevelt had broken up. Which President gave them so much power? It was Reagan. Why the irony? Reagan had been an actor.

Reagan would make speeches focused on "tax cuts for the wealthy" and that being liberal was evil. These were things that the new media felt were "okay". Only a decade or so later, a guy so slimey that his parents named him "Newt" did much the same thing to Public TV and Radio. But that story is for another day.

Hollywood traumatized him like so many other young people who are lured by fame. Sad. Same sickness still happening today. Angry.

@Roxy Raccoon excellent comment.

Betwen one of muy favourites songs

This tragic yet beautiful story telling has been blowing my mind over 15 years. I still cannot believe that such perfection exists in a song. It inspires my recovery. There go I but for grace.

Depp has less talent., than does your pinky toe Natalie.

This Woman. We need more like her.

River the Eternal, we love you ✌🏽💜

I foundthe cassette for this album finally in one of my old drawers LOL, I miss River Phoenix. It's good that Natalie Merchant wrote a song inspired by him.

Jz Re Inspired isn’t the right word. It’s about him

sharkfin well yes
She was obviously
INSPIRED by River Phoenix
enough to write and sing about him...!

Gone far too soon. All that talent

🦋Precious River Phoenix. Annointed with talent. An INDIGO child/ adult. Life cut short due to a toxic drink. He's all my heart. My spiritual brother. This song is so special to me. River really was one of ours. His beauty ETERNAL. The truth is known now ⚖

🔮Today would be River's 49th bday. Enjoy the afterlife or rebirth sweet angel 🖤🌿🖤🌺🖤🌷🖤

There's are reason why so many self destruct. Hollywood is full of sickos that ruin lives.

My sister got me this CD for Christmas in 1995 and it remains one of my favorites today. Every song is profoundly elegant and just straight up good music. This is one of the most underrated albums ever produced.

Completely agree!

Hear hear!!! 👍🏼🤗

Yes, every song

To my angel. I know you tried, and challenges and society failed to help you. I will love you always. I'm sorry I couldn't help you more, but you are in my heart forever.

💞💞💞💞💛💙💜💚❤

My favorite Natalie song

One of the most beautiful dedications Ever. Just incredible....I get warm and literally feel different when I listen to this. Every. Goddamn. TIME

God...I love this song so much...i play this when it is raining outside, I have the windows open, the smell of fresh flowers, fresh rain, lights off, seeing the curtain blowing up and down from the wind outside, and I’m sitting on my chair with a warm cup of cinnamon hazelnut coffee...

ícҽís թհօҽղíx love that...❤️

River had a brother named Rain or was that the sister....😐

Ulfric Stormcloak has the civil war going with the empire...

It's raining as I'm listening right now

Wendy Bone I wish it was raining over here, but it is cold and beautiful right now, I’m drinking a nice hazelnut cappuccino right now...

I miss you dad

When sentiment, sincerity ,lyrics ,
beautiful vocal and presentation /musicianship/arrangement come together, the result is a gem like "River" by Natalie Merchant.
This is art in it's purist form.

I always think about river and I miss him so much. He was such a beautiful gentle soul. He deserved to be happy and he deserved everything good in the world.

@Harry Fishnuts How many YouTube accounts do you have? Multiple I'm sure. Just to be a bully. Sad. Anyway .. He wasn't a druggie his autopsy proved that his organs very healthy if he was a druggie they would be ruined. Yes he did drugs periodically.

He was a environmentalist and humanitarian. He bought thousands of acres of rainforest to help save the earth so they wouldn't be depleted, helped the poor with food and shelter, tried to end school dissection, gave money to many charities, etc River was a GIVER. He had the most beautiful heart soul and mind. He was so gentle and kind. Too bad a mortal drink took his life. He was incredible. Very sensitive. An old soul. An Indigo.

What have you done? SERIOUSLY.

ícҽís թհօҽղíx LMFAO! You’re so fucken funny. He was a tree hugging drug addict. Just because you abuse drugs doesn’t mean it’ll show up on autopsy unless it’s a blood test. Your talking to a medical professional. You’re such a waste of human feces ogling over a dead druggy from the 80’s.

@Harry Fishnuts A medical professional ? That`s scary !

constellationyannis What’s scary is sheep like you who blindly idolize drug addicts. Btw I’m a corporate lawyer and famous singer too, ya gullible idiot. Lol!

@Harry Fishnuts your mom is a waste of human feces for having a piece of SHIT like you so eat the corn🌽 out of my shit 💩


Loser.

Still one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard.... written about one of the most beautiful human beings on the planet. River sure is missed....

🦋🕯🦋

Shes wonderful, and very evocative...very sad song.

An amazing voice,amazing woman,still sounds AMAZINGLY AWESOME today as she did back then.

One of the best albums ever. A star fell down on Sunset Blvd.

I heard this yesterday, and wept uncontrollably, at the beauty of it.

So , I'm not the only one sitting here sniveling and tearing up ?

I listened to it today repeatedly. Cried a river.

I was doing that at 12. River died when I was 9 😭

Nataly is amazing

I wish someone thought about me in this way

Me too.

I've never read a single bad thing about him. People loved him. such an innocent person.

@vampgrl79 River was an Earth Angel.

@ícҽís թհօҽղíx I wish he stayed around longer. I miss his Beautiful spirit.

I’m sure they do or they will. ❤️

This is the song that convinces me that Natalie is a great Catholicki. tell me I am wrong.

Never assume.

RIP RIVER

Que hermosos recuerdos, ese cassette se lo pedí a mi mamá cuando iba a la secundaria, me encantó ese album de Tigerlily!

Natalie is my warrior princess.

thankyou

God bless you. Natalie merchant

a very good friend. natalie.

Who Natalie?

@vampgrl79 the person who wrote this song..

@*•. alexis .•*I know that Natalie wrote this song, just wondering who's lucky.

haunting, eloquent, beautiful...just like Natalie I bet yummy

The lyrics to this song make me feel so sad. They're so hauntingly beautiful. To write this beautiful song about a person she barely knew just shows how amazing of a soul she must have and how beautiful of a soul River was. He touched whoever he came into contact with in some meaningful way ❤️

Sterling Hayden did you even listen to the song? This song was written for and about River Phoenix, Natalie has said so herself.

Natalie in fact DID know River, and quite well. They grew up together and were very close. And although this song was written, and written beautifully, for River and his memory, l think it resonates with many and represents a lingering love for the ones we lose too soon.

Sterling Hayden I agree. It’s also about ALL those we’ve lost too young too soon as well as River

River and Natalie were friends. Met MANY times. They attended the same Peta events. Both humanitarians vegan. Indigo's. This song was DEFINATELY written about River.

@michael borrero River was named after a book Saadartha River of life.. and his middle name Jude = Beatles song.

Beautiful tribute for a friend!💞

Beautiful song from one of the best albums ever!

This is my favorite album...ever!!!

amen. love this album.

This and August, and Everything After WAS THE 90s

😭😭😭Nat killed this song 😍😎

Found this tape at the dollar store worth is priceless thanks Nat 🤗🤗😏

It's a gem.

Wow, the TAPE! Never forget buying the CD—(two copies—one for the gf) after hearing Carnival once on the radio when I’d only really listened to rap and r&b prior.

Such a beautiful soul beautiful voice! Amazing woman!!

❤ Natalie merchant. My favorite singer that's a woman
(If only you can be in your 20s again)

tribute of meaning and beauty. great respect to too young river pheonix, a living spirit.

Well I guess she sums life. to be in Love you must BE ABLE TO MAKE CHOICES THAT MAKE SENSE, FIRST PRIORITY HONOSTY, REAL PASSION, ALL YOU NEEDED TO DO, CHOOSE ME FIRST.. ALWAYS, AND THE PRICE IS ME UNCONDITIONALLY. I COULD'VE SET YOU FREE!!SINCERELY, PEBBLES.CHIC

R.I.P. as your friend sings and we bless your gifted memory, Ji