Find The River – English Lyrics

• By: R.E.M.
• Album: Automatic for the People

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic world of R.E.M.'s "Find The River," a song rich with metaphor and introspection. This beautiful ballad, with its reflective lyrics about life's journey and acceptance, offers a unique opportunity to explore nuanced English vocabulary and expressions related to nature, philosophy, and emotion. Its serene yet profound message makes it a special piece for language learners seeking deeper understanding and appreciation of English lyrical artistry.

[English]

Hey now, little speedyhead

The read on the speedmeter says

You have to go to task in the city

Where people drown and people serve

Don't be shy, you're just dessert

Is only just light years to go

Me, my thoughts are flower strewn

With ocean storm, bayberry moon

I have got to leave to find my way

Watch the road and memorize

This life that pass before my eyes

And nothing is going my way

The ocean is the river's goal

A need to leave the water knows

We're closer now than light years to go

I have got to find the river

Bergamot and vetiver

Run through my head and fall away

Leave the road and memorize

This life that pass before my eyes

And nothing is going my way

There's no one left to take the lead

But I tell you and you can see

We're closer now than light years to go

Pick up here and chase the ride

The river empties to the tide

Fall into the ocean

The river to the ocean goes

A fortune for the undertow

None of this is going my way

There is nothing left to throw

Of ginger, lemon, indigo

Coriander stem and rose of hay

Strength and courage overrides

The privileged and weary eyes

Of river poet search naïveté

Pick up here and chase the ride

The river empties to the tide

All of this is coming your way

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
river /ˈrɪvər/ A1	noun - A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.
ocean /ˈəʊʃən/ A1	noun - A very large expanse of sea, in particular, each of the five main areas of the earth's surface.
find /faɪnd/ A1	verb - To discover or perceive after a search.
leave /liːv/ A1	verb - To go away from a place.
road /rəʊd/ A1	noun - A wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface which vehicles can use.
memorize /ˈmɛməraɪz/ B1	verb - To learn by heart; commit to memory.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - The existence of an individual human being or animal.
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - The organs of sight in humans and animals.
drown /draʊn/ B1	verb - To die through submersion in and inhalation of water.
shy /ʃaɪ/ A2	adjective - Nervous or timid in the company of other people.
storm /stɔːrm/ A2	noun - A violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.
tide /taɪd/ B1	noun - The alternate rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in each lunar day at a particular place, due to the attraction of the moon and sun.
undertow /ˈʌndərˌtoʊ/ C1	noun - A current of water below the surface, moving in a different direction from any surface current.
strength /strɛŋθ/ A2	noun - The quality or state of being physically strong.
courage /ˈkɜːrɪdʒ/ B1	noun - The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery.
weary /ˈwɪəri/ B2	adjective - Feeling or showing tiredness, especially as a result of excessive exertion or lack of sleep.
privileged /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒd/ B2	adjective - Having special rights, advantages, or immunities.
naïveté /naɪˈiːvteɪ/ C1	noun - The quality of being naive; lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment.
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. adjective - Having a considerable or sufficient amount of natural light; bright.
years /jɪərz/ A1	noun - A period of 365 or 366 days, divided into 12 months, starting from the first of January.

Key Grammar Structures

• You have to go to task in the city

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The phrase 'to task' is an infinitive of purpose, explaining why the subject has to go to the city.

• Don't be shy, you're just dessert

  ➔ Contraction and Present Simple

  ➔ 'Don't' is a contraction of 'do not', and 'you're' is a contraction of 'you are'. The sentence uses the present simple tense.

• Is only just light years to go

  ➔ Present Simple with Emphasis

  ➔ The phrase uses the present simple tense with the emphasis on 'only just' to highlight the distance.

• I have got to leave to find my way

  ➔ Have got to for Necessity

  ➔ 'Have got to' is used to express necessity or obligation, indicating that leaving is essential.

• This life that pass before my eyes

  ➔ Relative Pronoun (that)

  ➔ The relative pronoun 'that' is used to introduce a clause that describes 'this life'.

• The ocean is the river's goal

  ➔ Possessive Apostrophe

  ➔ The apostrophe in 'river's' indicates possession, showing that the goal belongs to the river.

• We're closer now than light years to go

  ➔ Comparative Structure

  ➔ The phrase uses a comparative structure to compare the current closeness to the distance of light years.

• All of this is coming your way

  ➔ Present Continuous for Future

  ➔ The present continuous tense is used here to indicate a future action, suggesting that everything is on its way to the listener.