Like the Feist song (1,2,3,4) from two weeks ago, Take Me to the River seems to celebrate the bittersweet pain of first love.
This song was first recorded by American gospel and soul musician Al Green. He recorded the song in 1974 for the album Al Green Explores Your Mind, two years before he became an ordained pastor at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis, Tennessee (USA).
Al Green's recording was not very popular at the time. In fact, I had assumed that the song was written by The Talking Heads. You can play both versions of the song on this post, and read with the lyrics.
Video: Take Me to the River, Al Green
Lyrics: Take Me to the River, Al Green
I don't know why
I love you like I do
After all these changes that you put me through
You stole my money and my cigarettes
And I haven't seen hide nor hair of you yet
I wanna know
Won't you tell me
Am I in love to stay?
Take me to the river
And wash me down
Won't you cleanse my soul
Put my feet on the ground
I don't know why she treated me so bad
Look at all those things that we could have had
Love is a notion that I can't forget
My sweet sixteen I will never regret
I wanna know
Won't you tell me
Am I in love to stay?
Hold me, love me, please me, tease me
Till I can't, till I can't take no more
Take me to the river
I don't know why
I love you like I do
After all the things that you put me through
The sixteen candles burning on my wall
Turning me into the biggest fool of them all
I wanna know
Oh won't you tell me
Am I in love to stay?
I wanna know
I wanna know
Take me to the river
I wanna know
I want you to dip me in the water
I wanna know
Won't you wash me in the water
Wash me in the water
Wash me in the water
Won't you wash me in the water
Video: Take Me to the River, The Talking Heads
Respond
Which version of the song do you like better: Al Green or The Talking Heads?
Very beautiful song. I was dancing while listening to it. I love entertaining myself, I will post the vifeo here to let the students know that having fun is just another way to relax to learn better.
ReplyDeleteHakim, Bejaia, Algeria
Hakim,
DeleteI'm glad you like the music. That makes me happy that people could dance from something posted here. Usually, I only use songs that I think could teach something specific (about culture, history, or grammar for example). After seeing the videos of dancing and singing in your classes, I am trying to expand the kind of music I use in the classroom. "Fun" and "play" does have real educational value.
As a language learner (I am trying to teach myself Spanish and Russian), my first concern is finding music I want to hear again and again. If I like the music, and I can sing along with it, then I can actually learn something from it.
I will keep posting music here, and I hope you and your students will as well.
-Eric, NYC
By the way, did you have a favorite version of the song? Personally, I'm torn (or unsure). Both songs are so funky in different ways.
DeleteI prefer Al Green's for the music arrangement, but I feel that both don't have the proper singing style for the song. I prefer it played on acoustic guitar bluesy light rock style like you can hear from SpyTune in You Tube. I hope that you see what I mean.
ReplyDelete