What does this song mean?

musicmaster616 said:

What does this song mean?

Not sure but the one thing that is clear, is that the song doesn't really matter...

that no matter what you can find forgiveness and be washed clean of your past

From what i gather, it's a song about a transition.

Surely amongst the best lyrics he's ever written.

The club alcoholism was already mentioned way before "The Breakdown".

"The picture on the wall with the one eye staring at nothing at all" is still a mistery to me.

What I get globally is stage fright to propose to Maite.
Looking for Redemption for all his Royal Badness years, to get married all washed up from his past sins.
Some like that, m'kay.

The picture of his eye(s) on the wall is at Paisley Park.

[Edited 2/21/15 16:20pm]

Revolution said:

The picture of his eye(s) on the wall is at Paisley Park.

[Edited 2/21/15 16:20pm]

My eyes! My eyes!


Honestly, makes me wanna open a new thread asking if Prince is medically color-blind.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

that no matter what you can find forgiveness and be washed clean of your past

That's exactly what the song is about. Very well said

bonatoc said:

Surely amongst the best lyrics he's ever written.

The club alcoholism was already mentioned way before "The Breakdown".

"The picture on the wall with the one eye staring at nothing at all" is still a mistery to me.

What I get globally is stage fright to propose to Maite.
Looking for Redemption for all his Royal Badness years, to get married all washed up from his past sins.
Some like that, m'kay.

I always figured the one eye to be the one pictured on the 1999 record. Which would have been on the wall at Paisley.

fms said:

bonatoc said:

Surely amongst the best lyrics he's ever written.

The club alcoholism was already mentioned way before "The Breakdown".

"The picture on the wall with the one eye staring at nothing at all" is still a mistery to me.

What I get globally is stage fright to propose to Maite.
Looking for Redemption for all his Royal Badness years, to get married all washed up from his past sins.
Some like that, m'kay.

I always figured the one eye to be the one pictured on the 1999 record. Which would have been on the wall at Paisley.

I thought it referred to their wedding photo, i.e. he's crying tears of joy - one eye closed, one eye unfocused because of tears (hence the "one eye staring at nothing at all").

I think most of HIS photos one eye is looking at NOTHING at all.HE wishes He was not there!

Maybe it's a technique he uses when they take promo shots of him. If you stare right into the camera with both of your eyes you might end up looking cross-eyed.

I thought the picture was one of John Nelson? And that in it one of his eyes was a little off (like a lazy eye?)

Wasn't there a shot of such a photo in the video? But then sometimes the literal meaning is not at all what it really means.

Opps EDIT Follows....

Well I gess not! LOL in the video it was one eye in the middle of a flower...

But were did I get the idea of the photo of his dad???

[Edited 2/22/15 9:51am]

Maybe it's this picture he's refering to...

thedoorkeeper said:

Reading this thread inspires me to make a playlist of Prince songs with spiritual overtones. So far I got: The Holy River Act of God The Word The Work (only want 1 song from Rainbow Children) Anybody got any suggests? I'm sure I am missing something obvious.

4 The Tears In Your Eyes

thedoorkeeper said:

Reading this thread inspires me to make a
playlist of Prince songs with spiritual
overtones. So far I got:

The Holy River
Act of God
The Word
The Work (only want 1 song from Rainbow Children)

Anybody got any suggests?
I'm sure I am missing something obvious.

The one eye is about his Illuminati ties.

No, it's about the one eye staring at nothing at all.

The latter is what happens to people who want to spiritually evolve.

vinaysfunk said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

that no matter what you can find forgiveness and be washed clean of your past

That's exactly what the song is about. Very well said

Totally not what it is about, nor wel said

Well Embrace do U have any suggestions at 2 what U think the song is about? I noticed U didn't offer anything of your own. I feel very strongly that it what this song is about. Buts just my opinion. Whats yours? I am open to learning something here. Well?

You noticed I didn't offer anything?

Then I suggest you read my 1st post again.

And then read the lyrics again.

The song is about finding the light, or Jesus in your life.

By "going down to the holy river".

That's (spiritual) baptism

It starts with the invitation to go there.

And then the one eye "staring at nothing at all".

Ask yourself why the song does that and if you know what this looks like.

Because it is real.

The answer to the question why? is in the next verse:

because the other eye is "trying to focus through all your tears"

And you want to be delivered

The rest of the lyrics move forward on that theme:

TEARS, sorrow and regret.

Pain of living in this world, pain of asking the big questions why?

Regret of what he did and who spent his time with

And what happens to us when we die?

It's about living an unhappy life in a cold world, like in When Doves cry

Full of lying and cheating, greed and anger, lust and drug/alcohol abuse

How can you be released = delivered from that? is the question he answers.

That's by being "going down to the holy river".

There is not a word in there that is about "forgiveness" and being "washed clean of your past"

As if it really were that easy.

(But that's OnlyndaUSA for you)

A river stands for water and water is the symbol of the Holy Spirit.

We can read that clearly in the song too, because he makes it clear with:

"if we drown (in the holy spirit) then we will be delivered"

And "Who gave you life when there was none at all?"
Jesus, yes Jesus. He says. Because Jesus Saves.
So drown yourself in the spirit of God

If you want to Life.

It's therefore about the spiritual struggle that we need to go through before we get there.

Where the truth is told. And where love, even marriage and new life may await us...

Where true peace and fullfillment can be found.

Where you cry tears of joy, not of sorrow - much different tears

That is Deliverance.

Let's go down 2 the holy river
If we drown then we'll be delivered
U can still see the picture upon the wall
One eye staring at nothing at all
The other one trying 2 focus through all your tears
U can try and try but there's nothin' 2 hide
U can't run from yourself and what's inside
U got 2 find the answers 2 the questions that U most fear

So over and over U ask your soul
Why'd U come down 2 a world so cold?
And the voice inside says 2night the truth will be told

U surrounded yourself with all the wrong faces
Spending your time in all the wrong places
Puttin' your faith in things that only make U cry
People say they love U when they wanna help
But how can they when U can't help yourself?
The more they say they love U, the more U just wanna die
So here we go again, the self analysis
Have another glass of Port and uh.. forget this
The band's playin' at the club 2night and they're bound 2 groove

There U are, U think U're high
U can't ask yourself cuz U'd only lie
If U had a dollar 4 every time U tried

U can't call nobody cuz they'll tell U straight up
Come and make love when U really hate 'em
Relationships based on the physical are over and done
They're over and done (They're over and done)
U'd rather have fun
With only one, with only one
Only one... one (one)

And then it hit 'cha like a fist on a wall
Who gave U life when there was none at all?
Who gave the sun permission 2 rise up everyday? (Ooh, oh yes)
Let me tell it (Go'n)
If U ask God 2 love U longer
Every breath U take will make U stronger
Keepin' U happy (happy) and proud 2 call His name (Go'n and say it)
Jesus (Jesus)

And over and over U ask your soul
Why'd U come down 2 a world so cold?
And the voice inside said 2night the truth will be told
And this time I was listening, hear me

Let's go down 2 the holy river
If we drown then we'll be delivered (Yes we will)
If we don't then we'll never see the light (No)
If U die before U try
U'll have 2 come back and face the light (Oh yes)
When U believe it, U got a good reason 2 cry (Oh my, my)

So I went on down 2 the holy river
I called my girl and told her I had something 2 give her
I asked her 2 marry me and she said yes, I cried
Oh, that night I drowned in her tears and mine
And.. and instead of a glass of sorrow and wine
Looking back y'all, I don't miss nothing except the time
And when I see that picture upon the wall
The one eye staring at nothing at all
My eyes trying 2 focus but these are much different tears
Oh, yes they are

[Edited 2/22/15 16:16pm]

Embrace said:

You noticed I didn't offer anything?

Then I suggest you read my 1st post again.

And then read the lyrics again.

The song is about finding the light, or Jesus in your life.

By "going down to the holy river".

]

How is that all that different than what I said? being washed clean of your past. funny you were so insulting but then said the same thing?! oh well i forgive you.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Embrace said:

You noticed I didn't offer anything?

Then I suggest you read my 1st post again.

And then read the lyrics again.

The song is about finding the light, or Jesus in your life.

By "going down to the holy river".

]

How is that all that different than what I said? being washed clean of your past. funny you were so insulting but then said the same thing?! oh well i forgive you.

I didn't insult, you silly goose.

I just showed how full of it you are

Embrace, now thats a much better post. Good for you. And you should be more open to interpretation. Finding the light or Jesus is just another way of what I was saying. Through Jesus one finds forgiveness. So in the end thanks for a very good response. We are basically saying the same thing.

vinaysfunk said:

Embrace, now thats a much better post. Good for you. And you should be more open to interpretation. Finding the light or Jesus is just another way of what I was saying. Through Jesus one finds forgiveness. So in the end thanks for a very good response. We are basically saying the same thing.

it was well said. it was very much what I said but with more details and lyrical support. what is funny is all the elements are pretty straight forward. not much need for any in depth discussion--but it was well done.

vinaysfunk said:

Embrace, now thats a much better post. Good for you. And you should be more open to interpretation. Finding the light or Jesus is just another way of what I was saying. Through Jesus one finds forgiveness. So in the end thanks for a very good response. We are basically saying the same thing.

vinaysfunk, I still need to oppose. True, Jesus forgives. But this song is about the Jesus that saves your life. Not saying it's wrong, but ity goes a little deeper and further than only forgiveness

Embrace, oppose all U want. Please, through Jesus, "forgive" me! lol It's all good. I still think that OnlyNDaUSA said it very well. We three are all saying the same thing, just coming at it from a slightly different perspectice. In the end it's a beautiful song.

Embrace said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

How is that all that different than what I said? being washed clean of your past. funny you were so insulting but then said the same thing?! oh well i forgive you.

I didn't insult, you silly goose.

I just showed how full of it you are

lol ok ok whatever makes you feel like a big shot I guess. *waves hand* you are forgiven... and i did not even have to toss you in the river.


What is odd is you said "Totally not what it is about, nor wel[sic] said" but then say it is about being forgiven. Going into detail was nice...down right swell...but there is a lot to be said for elegance.


and then you insult me again twice...well really thrice (thrice is a big shot way to say three) And yes i have loads of typos but I am being a little ironing hear...

vinaysfunk said:

Embrace, oppose all U want. Please, through Jesus, "forgive" me! lol It's all good. I still think that OnlyNDaUSA said it very well. We three are all saying the same thing, just coming at it from a slightly different perspectice. In the end it's a beautiful song.

maybe if we dunk our heads in some water we will be forgiven for exercising brevity.