Meet Me By The Rivers Edge

Just thought id start a topic to see what you all inturpret the lyrics to mean.

See I've been here for 28 years.
Pounding sweat beneath these wheels.
We tattooed lines beneath our skin.
No surrender, my Bobby Jean.

We've been burned by all our fears.
Just from growing up around here.
Our father's factories marked our cars.
While Eden burned against the stars.

And Sally said, Sally said.
I can't take no more regret.
It cut us deep, into our souls.
Came and climbed into our bed.
And Sally said, Sally said.
Meet me by the River's edge.
We're going to wash these sins away.
Or else we won't come back again.

You know I had these ballroom dreams.
That, as a child, came to me.
I was a boy in Grandma's arms.
A mother's pride and a wounded heart.
And I was full with fiery wonder.
You wore Audrey Hepburn pearls.
You were the only one who understood me then and the only one who will.

And Sally said, Sally said.
I can't take no more regret.
It cut us deep, into our souls.
Came and climbed into our bed.
And Sally said, Sally said.
Meet me by the River's edge.
We're going to wash these sins away.
Or else we won't come back again.

And now I drive the 101 on the California night.
And I'm amazed at all the stars beneath that old Hollywood sign.
And they waltz, (?), to a place we never kept.
And I'm not sure if we belong here, if I ever really left, or If I can go home.

And Sally said, Sally said.
I can't take no more regret.
It cut us deep, into our souls.
Came and climbed into our bed.
And Sally said, Sally said.
Meet me by the River's edge.
We're going to wash these sins away.
Or else we won't come back again.

No retreat. No regrets.
Meet me by the river's edge.



To me the "fathers factories marked our cars" means because where their fathers work kinda shows the life that they will lead them selfs.

what do you all inturpret this song as ?

that line in the bridge is "and they waltz the ballet up the boulevard to a pace we've never kept"

This was one of my first favorite Gaslight tunes! I think it's one giant tribute to Springsteen, among other things...

It talks about childhood and growing up, and written at points as a letter of somesort to a girl

or at least how I interpret it. For now.

AngryJohnnyN1930 wrote:

This was one of my first favorite Gaslight tunes! I think it's one giant tribute to Springsteen, among other things...

Totally agree, too many Bruce references to itemise!

There is a bar on the Detroit river called "the river's edge". Fits in with the "father's factories marked our cars".

Probably just a coincidence, but at least worth a thought.

thebiglebowski wrote:

There is a bar on the Detroit river called "the river's edge". Fits in with the "father's factories marked our cars".

Probably just a coincidence, but at least worth a thought.

I think it's generally accepted that both the "river's edge" and "father's factories" references are homages to Spingsteen's "The River" and "Factory" as opposed to actual places.

Yeah I know the connection isn't strong. Just saying that it sort of fits as well.

Shrewsbury_Stars wrote:

thebiglebowski wrote:

There is a bar on the Detroit river called "the river's edge". Fits in with the "father's factories marked our cars".

Probably just a coincidence, but at least worth a thought.

I think it's generally accepted that both the "river's edge" and "father's factories" references are homages to Spingsteen's "The River" and "Factory" as opposed to actual places.

Brian's father did work in a factory, though.

Harbortown wrote:

Shrewsbury_Stars wrote:

thebiglebowski wrote:

There is a bar on the Detroit river called "the river's edge". Fits in with the "father's factories marked our cars".

Probably just a coincidence, but at least worth a thought.

I think it's generally accepted that both the "river's edge" and "father's factories" references are homages to Spingsteen's "The River" and "Factory" as opposed to actual places.

Brian's father did work in a factory, though.

Brian has also been to a river's edge before but that doesn't mean he would have written a song about it if Bruce hadn't written The River.

You seem to think it is fact the the song is about Springsteen song "the river". Has Brian said this directly in an interview somewhere? I see no connection in the lyrics other than that they both have "river" in them. If it was about that song wouldn't he have used "mary" instead of "sally" in the lyrics?

Not saying it isn't referencing "the river" but usually the gaslight reference are pretty obvious ("hiding in a basement mixing up your medicines", "last gang in town", etc...). I just don't see it other than the "river" connection.

thebiglebowski wrote:

You seem to think it is fact the the song is about Springsteen song "the river". Has Brian said this directly in an interview somewhere? I see no connection in the lyrics other than that they both have "river" in them. If it was about that song wouldn't he have used "mary" instead of "sally" in the lyrics?

Not saying it isn't referencing "the river" but usually the gaslight reference are pretty obvious ("hiding in a basement mixing up your medicines", "last gang in town", etc...). I just don't see it other than the "river" connection.

The song is one long homage to several different Springsteen songs. If you go to the thread discussing song interpretations, this has been discussed ad naseum.

The song is littered with multiple obvious references to the following Springsteen songs: "No Surrender", "Bobby Jean", "The River", "Factory", "Growing Up", and "Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)."

A single isolated reference to a "river" is not what makes the Springsteen reference obvious, it is the many unsubtle references (all within the same song) that make it clear that these are not just a coincidental use of words and phrases.

And yes, Brian has acknowledged in interviews that this song is an homage to Bruce.