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This is about the European slaughter of Native Americans, as the colonization of North America caused the near-extinction of the Native American populace. Matthews said of the song: "There's times when I've traveled around this fine country, and others, but this fine country, I remember one time standing at the edge of lake Superior, up there, we were camping up on the northern side of it and looking out and imagining these little rocks that jut out, families of people going past in canoes and hunting on the side of the lake there, and also like if you sit and look at the Grand Canyon and get a little distance between you and that McDonalds that's peering down over the canyon with you, and just imagine the quiet that must have been there and the people that enjoyed it before we came, and I just get awed because it's sort of an overwhelming feeling looking at those things just going, "man does that suck, does it suck." That you could erase somebody, ya know? take somebody's whole universe away. It's just unbelievable for those people... just the fact that a little bit of our history has a lot of poison in it and that maybe we can't reverse things but maybe pay a little tribute to it every once and a while." (thanks, Justin Gregg - Harrah, OK)

Alanis Morissette performs backing vocals at the conclusion of the song, and Bela Fleck of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and The New Grass Revival played the banjo. (thanks, Brian - Edmonton, Canada)

Comments:

The most important truth to take from this is that the water is like alcohol. In the society that we live there is a deeper issue and that is that too many people drink. I myself drink, I'm sure that you drink. I know DMB drinks. What of the Indians and what of the water they drank. It is that water that the white man brought over to America. For the record I'm a white republican. We must think outside of our self's and see that he is every were. The truth is right there.
- brandon, warren, MI

The extermination of Native Americans continued long after the United States won the revolutionary war. Don't appreciate the 'just killing to clear the land' comment, it went way deeper than that. And of course Europeans were killing the natives after the revolutionary war as well, the spanish and missionaries were killing off natives until California joined the union in 1849/1850.
- Mel, Riverbank, CA

For some reason this song reminds me of the HBO show Deadwood, when Hearst came to town and ran over anyone in his path. Much like the white man ran over the natives, be they in North America, Africa, Asia, South America...
- Mel, Riverbank, CA

Actually, this song (and video) fit better with the colonization of South Africa. The colonists were said the have killed so many natives that the river ran red with blood (a battle was called the "Battle of Blood River."). Considering Dave's heritage, it's appropriate to assume that the song was at least partially about that extermination of native peoples. There are Zulu warriors depicted in the video as well.
- Kate, Philadelphia, PA

To kyle from Atlanta, This song is about the Europeans slaughtering the Native Americans, The U.S. was not formed yet. They were just Europeans traveling to colonize the land, and they did so by killing off the Native Americans.
- Chris, Sturbridge, MA

Like most other Dave songs this only gets better and better each time you hear it, especially live.
- Rob, Wilkes-Barre, PA

This song, is one my favorites, along with "The Last Stop", "Too Much", "The Stone", "Halloween", and "The Dreaming Tree". This kind of song is why Dave Matthews Band is my favorite music artist!
- Matthew, Milford, MA

I think this song was about the United States slaughter of the Native Amercans, not the europeans
- kyle, atlanta, GA

kinda like what we did to the mexicans during the alamo or was it the spanish anyway we lost but later we traded general santa anna for the whole state of texas! worst deal ever made for the spanish. what were they thinking?
- Joseph, bronx new york, NY

Why is it that recent slaughters that have been "branded" patriotic war rarely get spoken about in the US? I see a lot of propaganda on these pages...
- Samia, Geneva, Switzerland

The water in Mexico dies have bacteria in it that foreigners are not accustomed to. Those born in Mexico, who have consumed it for decades, will not get sick, but people born in other countries will. The condition is called "Montezuma's Revenge" named after an Aztec ruler who supposedly put a curse on the Spanish Conquistadors. Anyone who drinks the water in Mexico will get extremely sick. There are medications you can get through your doctor if you ever plan on going to Mexico.
- Patrick, Tallapoosa, GA

DDTW is about colinization and the abuse of Native Americans, as said. Around 98/99 Dave and Tim would often play Bartender (2000 Lillywhite Sessions, officially released on Busted Stuff in 2000). Both Bartender and DDTW are in Drop D tuning.
- Gabe, New York, NY

This song is actually talking about how you shouldn't drink the water in Mexico because it will make you sick because you are not used to it.
- Stephen, South Charleston, WV

One of my favorite songs EVER. I saw the "Storytellers" episode on VH-1 where he talked about this song being about the land the Native Americans had inhabited and then we come and take it away, and this song perfectly illustrates it and pays the tribute that he was talking about. It is a bloody but thought-provoking song. Dave rocks!
- kelly, los angeles, CA

When I think of the lyrics, "Don't Drink The Water", I think of the time of the Great Stink Of London in 1858, when the bad stench of the polluted water in the Thames River caused many people to leave the city! It kind of makes me think of what the Londoners thought back then, "There may be fresh water in England, but Don't drink the water from the River Thames!"
- Annabelle, Eugene, OR

Watch the video, it's really self explanitory.
- Kieran, Brewster, NY

On VH1 he tells the story behind it...among other things he says he was in awe when he thought of what North America was like before "we" came. He says it's his way of paying a little tribute to the natives we slaughtered
- Tommy, Southboro, MA

AH HAH. I was right on the money with this one. It brings to my mind of the wide open spaces of the great american west. Of the eagles circling the desert. Looking with sharp eyes for prey. (When says; And here I will spread my wings"). Very bloody song...heh... Dave Mathews Band seems to be best at this dangerous edgey mood.
- Adeeb, Dhaka, Other