River of Deceit
Mad Season
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My pain is self-chosen At least, so the prophet says I could either burn Or cut off my pride and buy some time A head full of lies is the weight, tied to my waist The river of deceit pulls down, oh oh The only direction we flow is down Down, oh down Down, oh down Down, oh down Down, oh down My pain is self-chosen At least I believe it to be I could either drown Or pull off my skin and swim to shore Now I can grow a beautiful shell for all to see The river of deceit pulls down, yeah The only direction we flow is down Down, oh down Down, oh down Down, oh down Down, oh down The pain is self-chosen, yeah Our pain is self-chosen Down, oh down Down, oh down Down, oh down Down, oh down
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Written by: BARRETT MARTIN, JOHN SAUNDERS, LAYNE STALEY, MIKE MCCREADY
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Band Formation"River of Deceit" was a song performed by Mad Season, a supergroup that consisted of members from three other renowned bands. This included Pearl Jam's guitarist, Mike McCready, Alice in Chains' vocalist, Layne Staley, and Screaming Trees' drummer, Barrett Martin.
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Album ReleaseThe song is part of the album "Above," which was Mad Season's only studio album. Released in 1995, the album counts as one of the important releases of that era.
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Chart Performance"River of Deceit" stands out as the most successful single of Mad Season. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1995.
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Inspirational SourceThe song got its title and theme from the book "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran. The book, containing philosophical essays, poetry, and spiritual musings, inspired many of the lyrics in the song.
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Layne Staley's RoleBesides providing vocals, Layne Staley, who struggled with drug addiction, also wrote the lyrics for the song, giving it a deeply personal touch. Many listeners interpret the lyrics as his way of expressing struggle with addiction.
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Song MeaningThe song talks about personal struggle and self-deceit. Staley compares his deceit to a river, ostensibly flowing and changing.
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Music VideoA music video was released for the song, directed by Josh Taft. The video, featuring the band playing the song in a dark room with alternating shots of a river, encapsulates the theme of the song effectively.
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Legacy"River of Deceit" is often remembered as a highlight within 90s alternative rock. Despite the short tenure of Mad Season, the song continues to receive airplay, especially on alternative and classic rock radio stations.
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Acoustic VersionAn acoustic version of "River of Deceit" was performed by Chris Cornell, former member of Soundgarden and Audioslave, during a tribute concert for Layne Staley in 2005.
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Staley's DeathThe song gained a deepened poignancy due to Layne Staley's tragic death in 2002. Many fans see "River of Deceit" as a haunting echo of his battle with addiction.
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Citation
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"River of Deceit Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/339169/Mad+Season/River+of+Deceit>.
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