Story Behind The Song
The funny thing about this is that the song was inspired by a sign that is posted by the lake in my back yard. This is the place where I sit and play guitar and write most of my songs. Can you guess what the sign says?
Song Description
The courses of a mans life are told in this story song with the common denominator being the importance of a place along the river where he grew up. A tragedy in three acts.
| Song Length |
3:45 |
Genre |
Folk - Alternative, Country - Alternative |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Poignant, Cheerless |
Subject |
Lost Love, Rivers |
| Similar Artists |
Bruce Springsteen |
Language |
English |
| Era |
1990 - 1999 |
| |
Lyrics
The sign says "Danger, No Swimming Here"
This was a special place
but that's all gone away
When I was eight or nine
my daddy took me fishing here
We'd pass the time away
never had much to say.
He was my hero then with him
there was no fear
I held his calloused hands
he was a working man.
Then he lost his job and in a bottle disappeared
and fell in one day and was
swept away....
I fell asleep that night
down by the riverside
and I dreamed that everything
was still alright
but in the morning light
I saw the sign
right before my eyes,
it said "Danger, No Swimming here"
The sign said "Danger, No Swimming Here"
but in another time
this place was hers and mine.
When we were seventeen
we'd come parking here
She was my beauty queen
yeah, she was everything
We'd take our clothes off
Swim in the water clear.
Feel our hearts beat in time
as we intertwined
but then one August night
tragedy found us here
Drunk driver took her life,
put out my light
I fell asleep that night
down by the riverside
and dreamed that everything
was still alright
but in the morning light
I saw the sign
right before my eyes
It said "Danger, no swimming here"
I still go to sleep
down by the riverside
and dream that everything
is still alright
but in the morning light
I always see that sign
It says "Danger!"
"Danger, No swimming Here"
"Danger!"
The sign says "Danger No Swimming Here"
but every now and then
I come back again.
But I'm now 53
and I'm just a prisoner here
I walk these shores alone
the only place I feel at home
I think of Everything that
I lost right here
I want to join them
We could be together again
No one would miss me
if I wasn't here
I'll just, go to sleep at night
down by the riverside
and dream that everything is still alright
And if I should die before I awake
I pray the lord my soul to take
The sign says danger
No Swimming Here
I take my shirt off
dive in
and disappear