The River
PJ Harvey · Is This Desire? [1998]
and they came to the river
and they came to the road
and he wanted the sun
just to call his own
and they walked on the dirt
and they walked from the road
'til they came to the river
'til they came up close
Throw your pain in the river
To be washed away slow
and we walked without words
and we walked with our lives
two silent birds
circled by
Like our pain in the river
and we followed the river
and we followed the road
and we walked through this land
and we called it home
but he wanted the sun
and I wanted the whole
and the while light scatters
and the sun sets low
Like the pain in the river
and they came to the road
and he wanted the sun
just to call his own
and they walked on the dirt
and they walked from the road
'til they came to the river
'til they came up close
Throw your pain in the river
To be washed away slow
and we walked without words
and we walked with our lives
two silent birds
circled by
Like our pain in the river
and we followed the river
and we followed the road
and we walked through this land
and we called it home
but he wanted the sun
and I wanted the whole
and the while light scatters
and the sun sets low
Like the pain in the river
The River
PJ Harvey's "The River" stands as a haunting centerpiece on her 1998 album *Is This Desire?*. Released during a period where she explored the intersection of folk revival and gothic rock, the track exemplifies her signature atmospheric intensity. The recording features her distinctive, gravelly vocals layered over a brooding, minimalist arrangement that underscores themes of emotional turbulence and isolation. As part of her broader discography from the late 1990s, the song reflects her ability to blend poetic lyricism with a dark, textured soundscape, influencing subsequent generations of alternative and indie artists who value raw emotional expression over polished production.