Down by the Riverside.

I first head the song Riverside by Agnes Obel on a TV show called, "Degrassi." They decided to play this song in the background when a bulimic girl was throwing up in her school bathroom. I looked it up on YouTube and ended up loving the song. I quickly put it on my iPod and started listening to it non-stop. Then I carefully listened to the lyrics. I started wondering, what does Agnes Obel want people to think of  this song? What does the "riverside" respresent? I never knew.

Right now, as I'm writing this, I have the song on repeat. For me, the "riverside" refers to a place where a person can reflect, think or simply forget and allow herself/himself to get carried away by the sight and sound of running water. A place where one can just be. The line "I see how everything is torn in the river, deep" could mean that despite the seeming peace you find by the riverside, not everything is all happy and smiles. Each person has a story to tell or has a personal struggle which he/she must overcome. One cant hide by the riverside. In the end, a person must face his/her demons. Maybe the river itself can be a source of destruction. Maybe it has laid witness to life, in all its color.

I think this song could be like a personal anthem. When someone listens to it, they could think to themselves that the "riverside" could be one person where they could talk to about anything.