The Drums: Down by the Water Meaning

Down by the Water Lyrics

if you fall asleep down by the water
baby i'll carry you, all the way home

if you fall asleep down by the water
baby i'll carry you, all the way home

everybody's gotta love some one
but i just wanna love you dear
everybody's gotta feel...

1. anonymous

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   Feb 28th 2023 !⃝

   I feel like this song is about the death of a most beloved person and the gift that comes with loving and needing the deceased regardless.
   
   "If you fall asleep down by the water
   baby i'll carry you, all the way home"
   
   After the person passed (euphemistically falling asleep down by the water), the singer will carry the idea (not the body in a literal sense) home. It means that the person is a part of him. Home is where your heart is at, so this is, where the lost person finds his place after death.
   
   "Everybody's gotta love some one
   But I just wanna love you dear
   Everybody's gotta feel something
   But I just want to be with you, my dear"
   
   This passage, in my opinion, doesn't work with the gay love interpretation. The antithesis makes no sense, if someone is actually loved and something is actually felt. It rather describes the feeling that everybody is connected to the real world by loving someone still existing and feeling something still relevant. However, the singer doesn't want to love someone, he prefers to dwell in the idea he brought home from the river. He doesn't actually want to feel what he has to feel, sadness and despair, he prefers to be with the deceased in his mind instead, where everything is still ok.
   
   "I know it's hard
   I know it's hard
   I know it's hard to be in this position"
   
   It's hard to be in a position, where the memory of oneself blurs over time. The singer reassures the deceased of his understanding and remaining presence.
   
   "If they stop loving you
   I won't stop loving you
   If they stop needing you
   I'll still need you, my dear"
   
   However, if the memory blurrs, if people forget to love him, the singer will still love him. If they stop needing him, or in other words, when others will have overcome the sadness and trauma of the persons death, the singer will still need the deceased or in other words will be sad forever.
   
   "You've gotta believe me
   When I say
   When I say the word forever
   And whatever
   Comes your way
   Oh we'll still be together"
   
   This reaffirms the last verse. There will be no progress that could take the person away from the singer's heart, now that he brought him home with him. Regardless of death ("whatever comes your way") they will be together somehow.
   
   "I know it's hard
   I know it's hard
   But I understand you, just take my hand"
   
   This reminds me of Death Cab for Cutie's I'll follow you into the dark:
   "No blinding light
   Or tunnels to gates of white
   Just our hands clasped so tight"
   Pretty much like in Death Cab's song, there is nothing hopeful in death and being forgotten ("I know it's hard"), besides the hand of the person that loves you eternally, that instead of loving and feeling for something still earthly, follows you into the dark.
   
2. anonymous

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   Nov 11th 2014 !⃝

   this song is definitely abt gay lovers.
   
   "If you fall asleep down by the water
   baby I'll carry you all the way home."
   
   tells his lover that he will be there for him.
   
   "everybody's gotta love some one
   but i just wanna love you dear
   everybody's gotta feel something
   but i just want to be with you, my dear"
   
   he knows hes supposed to like girls but he cant help loving a boy
   
   "i know it's hard
   i know it's hard
   i know it's hard to be in this position
   if they stop loving you
   i won't stop loving you
   if they stop needing you
   i'll still need you, my dear"
   
   this is talking abt his lover coming out to his family/friends. hes been through this himself so he understands how difficult it is for his lover. but he reassures him that he will always be there even if his family/friends arent.
   
   
   "you've gotta believe me
   when i say
   when i say the word forever
   and whatever
   comes your way
   oh we'll still be together"
   
   reassuring his lover that they will be togehter forever no matter the homophobes that try to come between them
   
   "i know it's hard
   i know it's hard
   but i understand you, just take my hand"
   
   reminding his lover that though it may be hard he will still be there and he understands and they will go through this together.
3. anonymous

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   Apr 24th 2012 !⃝

   This is a clear love song a love that's pure real and unconditional about someone who found the love of their life who has jus lost everything and everyone and they feel alone the song is to reassure this person that although u feel alone with no one to turn to u still have me and I will always be there ( if they stop loving u I won't stop loving u if they stop needing u ill still need u my dear) its truly romantic that this person is showing their caring nature (baby ill carry you all the way home) the drums

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