Live Like A River

Album: Odludek (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a track from Doves vocalist Jimi Goodwin's first solo album, Odlukek. Before their incarnation as Doves, the three members were a Dance music trio called Sub Sub. Asked by Digital Spy whether his own solo material would hark back to the Sub Sub sound, Goodwin said: "There's a track on the record called 'Live Like a River' which is like a cross between dirty grungy rock meets rave."

    "I still listen to all sorts of music," he added. "I haven't just made a 'some guy out of a band singer-songwriter' record, because that doesn't interest me. I've made a record based on all the things I want to hear in other people's records that maybe I haven't heard in one place."

    "It's not exactly original, but the inspiration for it was like a T90 CDK mixtape that you'd make for your mate, with all that crazy eclecticism and all those tracks slamming into one another," Goodwin continued, "folk tracks, carnival esque, Tom Waitsy oompah music."
  • This was inspired by a letter the poet Ted Hughes wrote to his son. Goodwin explained to Under The Radar magazine: "Near the end he mentions a quote he attributes to the Buddha, 'Live like a mighty river. And as the old Greeks said: live as though all your ancestors were living again through you.' Bang! Pow! Those sentiments hit me so hard and resonated deeply with me. I had the chorus."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.