Mr. Young sings about it...

“Feeling kind of melancholy this morning and this old song keeps running through my head.
Anybody know the story behind this song?
It dates from mine and Treebeard's era.

Down By The River
Be on my side, I'll be on your side, baby
There is no reason for you to hide
It's so hard for me staying here all alone
When you could be taking me for a ride
Yeah, she could drag me over the rainbow, send me away
Down by the river I shot my baby
Down by the river, dead, oh, shot her dead, oh

You take my hand, I'll take your hand
Together we may get away
This much madness is too much sorrow
It's impossible to make it today
Yeah, oh, yeah, she could drag me over the rainbow and send me away
Down by the river I shot my baby
Down by the river, dead, oh, shot her dead, oh”

“stove, do you have plans on shotting someone?

if so, first call treebeard. you know its that silly little thing called a LAWYER!!”

“ It's on the internet, so it must be true.

although, even if the artist says it "means nothing," it's fun to interpret lyrics! just put your own words in their mouths, they won't mind.
;-)

like, he's obviously prejudiced against Irish people. leprechauns traditionally hide their gold at the end of the rainbow, and she's dragging him over the rainbow, so she's Irish. and then he shot her, which shows he's a big racist.

LMAO!! i'm extra full of it today.
:-)”

“LOL
Thanks to you two ladies, my melancholy mode has lifted.”

“mode = mood”

“Great song, SS. BTW, if you do shoot someone (or Lyra), I will play 'I Don't Like Mondays' and think of you, my friend...”

“be careful what you say today, someones on the warpath.....”

“"stove, do you have plans on shotting someone?"

And It seems that Treebeard is the guy to call???

You guys going out drinking again?”

“yes, and we can take him on a road trip to the police station downtown!!

LOL”

“might as well, Tom. Not much I can do for him legally...”

“I use to love her
but I had to kill her
she's buried right in my back yard.......”

“All the Really Good folksongs involve Death in some fashion. See "Pretty Polly" etc.


There's a great line in "Miller's Cave" where the protagonist says...

They laughed at me and then I shot 'em
I took their cheatin', schemin' bones to Miller's Cave”

“Showtime cable has a good Neil Young show tonight at 7:00 cenral.”

“N.Y. is great, but I cant get the station.”