Last week, I drove to Mannum on the River Murray, about an hour from Adelaide, to ride on the PW Mayflower (South Australia’s oldest operating paddle wheeler, built in 1884).
The day was very grey and drizzly and as I caught my first glimpse of the Murray, I had this line come to me, that I would soon be on the river in the rain.
It stuck with me. Then, a few days later, driving across town for my regular haircut at Khrome Hair Studio, I stopped the podcast I was listening to, hit go on the Voice Recorder app, and the verses and bridge and chorus just flowed. I will paste the actual transcript, below.
What was swirling around in my subconscious was how the river seemed different in those conditions. It seemed closer, less officious, more intimate. I’d lived on the river at Murray Bridge when working at 5MU, so I have known the river a long time but there definitely was something different about her that day.
One highlight, apart from the warm and welcoming volunteers running the vessel, was the opportunity to simply stand on the front deck, listen to the rhythmic slapping of the paddles, and watch the birdlife watch us bemusedly as we crept past.
This is a deliberately long, slow, winding song. You cannot rush the river, nor should you rush stories that arise from it.
On The River In The Rain First Scratchings
Here is a direct paste from my voice recorder app.
The paddle wheel slaps the water through as we chug along through the grey The Murray River’s slower here as if it’s lost its way The ducks don’t seem to care at all, but I get a river birds evil eye The ducks don’t seem to care at all the river birds show disdain as we keep moving slowly on the river in the rain There’s something about this river when the sky is overcast It’s like the clouds keeping vigil or holding vigil As the paddle boats move past the rivers wide in places like welcoming tired arms But in the soft light with her guard down She shares her lavish charms And the trees upon the shoreline The trees huddle on the shoreline like barflies needing drink But they stand there for 100 years with all that time to think They’ve seen the floods and fires and they’ve all shared in the pain But today they’re standing graceful on the river in the rain Don’t think water needs you. Don’t think this river needs you. It’s the other way around It’s a place for deep reflection A calming place to be around There are lessons in this water It makes memories that we keep But they don’t dwell on the surfers They are hidden in the deep And you cannot rush the wisdom, and you cannot force a rhyme At the pace of river time, that could be the bridge The houseboats loose their moorings And the party people cheer And the fishes hunt each morning while the water is still and clear Make some time to visit then make sure you come again Embrace the mist or drizzle on the river in the rain
On The River In The Rain Lyrics
[Verse 1]
The paddle wheel slaps the water through
As we chug along through the grey
The Murray River’s slower here
As if it’s lost its way
The ducks don’t seem to care at all
The river birds show disdain
As we keep moving slowly
On the river in the rain
[Chorus]
There’s something about this river
When the sky is overcast
It’s like the clouds are holding vigil
As the paddle boats move past
The river’s wide in places
Like welcoming tired arms
But in the soft light
With her guard down
She shares her lavish charms
[Verse 2]
The trees huddle on the shoreline
Like barflies needing drink
But they stand there for 100 years
With all that time to think
They’ve seen the floods and fires
And they’ve all shared in the pain
But today they’re standing graceful
On the river in the rain
[Chorus]
There’s something about this river
When the sky is overcast
It’s like the clouds are holding vigil
As the paddle boats move past
The river’s wide in places
Like welcoming tired arms
But in the soft light
With her guard down
She shares her lavish charms
[Bridge 1]
Don’t think the river needs you
It’s the other way around
It’s a place for deep reflection
A calming place without a sound
There are lessons in this water
It makes memories that we keep
But they’re not on the surface
They are hidden in the deep
[Bridge 2]
And you cannot rush the wisdom
And you cannot force a rhyme
You must stop and you must listen
At the pace of river time
And you cannot rush the wisdom
And you cannot force a rhyme
You must stop and you must listen
At the pace of river time
[Verse 3]
The houseboats loose their moorings
And the party people cheer
And the fishers hunt each morning
While the water’s still and clear
Make some time to visit
Then make sure you come again
Embrace the mist or drizzle
On the river in the rain
[Chorus]
There’s something about this river
When the sky is overcast
It’s like the clouds are holding vigil
As the paddle boats move past
The river’s wide in places
Like welcoming tired arms
But in the soft light
With her guard down
She shares her lavish charms
[Verse 4]
The paddle wheel slaps the water through
As we chug along through the grey
The Murray River’s slower here
As if it’s lost its way
The ducks don’t seem to care at all
The river birds show disdain
As we keep moving slowly
On the river in the rain
On the river in the rain
On the river in the rain
On the river in the rain