(12) One deep river

[stratmad]

Hmmm. It'll certainly take on that meaning for us fans one day.

But still I can't imagine Mark writing his OWN "goodbye" song from the perspective of someone else. That would be a very odd thing for anyone to do, wouldn't it?
Besides, if that were the case, he'd also be singing his own praise (his "light would keep on burning", his "song would keep returning"), which for me just isn't compatible with the Mark that we (think we) know.
On top of that, he says he wants to make a few more albums, so for me it's not a swan song, but a goodbye song to someone.

From my end, it's clear that the character in the song is addressing someone else, whose "soul is heading to its rest", and it's their "light that will keep on burning", and their "song that will keep returning", not his own.

[Stanko]

You are a one deep river... that lines makes me remember that conversation about the gramatically thing using "One deep river" instead of "A deep river", which makes me think this song is not really about the Tyne but about a person which is strong or good like a river that is deep, so, a lot!

MK is most definitely alluding to the Tyne in those lyrics....

After reading the lyrics, yes you're right, he seems to be describing landscapes of Newcastle...

Truly an MK classic....

Actually there is nothing that makes you think he talks about Newcastle further than the picture of the cover, LOL

Very true!!

Yes but not if you're into all songs

[ingridswing]

One deep river…. Can’t stop listening to it. So far my favorite but it can change. It always changes from time to time

[dustyvalentino]

Don't think anyone has mentioned yet that the melody of the phrase One Deep River seems to be pretty similar to the old song Old Man River?

[bobfan]

Don't think anyone has mentioned yet that the melody of the phrase One Deep River seems to be pretty similar to the old song Old Man River?

I do think it sounds like ‘Follow The Ribbon’ in parts, and that song sounds like ‘Old Man River’ in parts to my ears…

[garibaldi]

I couldn't help thinking that it's a funeral song, from a friend to a friend who's passed away. Chet? Brendan? Tina? It could be so many others.

Yes, I was wondering if he's talking about someone specifically, maybe Chet? The neat thing is you can listen to the lyrics at multiple levels simultaneously - e.g. it can both be about the River Tyne as well as a lost friend at the same time