In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I'm drifting in deep waters
Alone with my self-doubting, again
Try not to struggle this time
For I will weather the storm
I gotta remember (gonna remember)
Don't fight it (don't fight it)
Even if I (even if I)
Don't like it (don't like it)
Somehow, turn me around (somehow, turn me around)
No matter how far I drift
Deep waters (deep waters)
Won't scare me tonight
Alone with my self-doubting, again
Try not to struggle this time
For I will weather the storm
I gotta remember (gonna remember)
Don't fight it (don't fight it)
Even if I (even if I)
Don't like it (don't like it)
Somehow, turn me around (somehow, turn me around)
No matter how far I drift
Deep waters (deep waters)
Won't scare me tonight
Lyrics submitted by MaxpowerSupreme
Deep Water Lyrics as written by Beth Gibbons Adrian Francis Utley
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Oh, and verily, I say unto thee: the barbershop backup is the shit.
i like both this interpretation and the psychedelic one...either way the metaphor of deep water as a kind of belly of the beast/collective unconsciousness holds true: in a trip, if you give in to fear then ego-death, or any sort of enlightened state, is impossible to attain. In life, if you give in to fear/ignorance and rationalize a way to reject altruism and hold onto your ego, you will end up a selfish mess akin to hellish ways. The kingdom of heaven is here and now, we just have to let go of our attachments and fears and then things will become somewhat clear (we cant get the full picture, we are all just like fingers pointing to the moon that is the whole of reality; as humans, we cannot grasp the ultimate metaphor that we commonly associate with the divine). In the same way, the Buddha promotes enlightenment in the intimate, in-between moments of the present movements of life and death. And so, try not to struggle this time, for you will weather the storm. If anyone wants to learn the uke tabs message me! i learned my own version of it, idk if its accurate or not though. :)
Seems like Portishead are fans of Steve Martin's 1979 movie, "The Jerk". In it, Martin and Bernadette Peters sing a rendition of "Tonight You Belong to Me" that features a ukulele arrangement. Check it out -- the resemblance to "Deep Waters" is pretty easy to see.
Somehow, though, I imagine the Portishead crew would just give you a sly wink if you asked them about it.
I'm at least 90% sure this song is about surviving a harsh acid or other psychedelic trip.
"I'm drifting in deep waters" Would refer to being deep into a trip where things have gotten crazy and reality is hard to grasp.
"Alone with my self doubting again" On psychedelics, the user is typically locked into their own head for a period of a few hours. During this time, users are often forced to face their own self doubts about themselves, their lives, and the things around them.
"I try not to struggle this time" When a psychedelic trip gets too intense, inexperienced users tend to try to 'fight the trip.' This never works and only serves to make things worse.
"For I will weather the storm" After dropping acid, if you decide you don't enjoy the trip, there's pretty much nothing you can do about it until it's out of your system. You've got to weather the storm.
"I Gotta remember Don't fight it" It can be hard to remember not to fight a psychedelic if things get too intense and you don't even remember where you are anymore, but as said earlier, fighting it only makes things worse.
"Even if I Don't like it" Implies that the 'deep waters' could be enjoyed. This definitely falls in line with psychedelics. Most trips are fun and extremely enjoyable and potentially life changing, but maybe 10% of trips can be unpleasant.
"Somehow turn me around" A bad trip can easily be turned into a good one by the strangest of things - someone turning on the lights, changing a music track, going into a different room.
"No matter how far I drift Deep waters won't scare me tonight" No matter how hard you're tripping and how far you drift from reality, if you remember to just 'go with the flow,' you can overcome 'The Fear' of a 'bad trip.'
This one feels just about right, I think.
The barber chorus in this song is the shit.
The chorus is indeed the shit
I also have to voice my opinion that the barbershop section is "the shit".
Not that I've illegally downloaded the LP or anything and am hoping to make up for it by getting it on the day it comes out...
Agreed, the chorus is well and truly the shit.
i hate to uses such words but when time come to need it, no time like the present. this is the shit!
added my own whistling, indeed perfect shit!
I'd just like to say that this may be the most informative thread I've ever come across. Ever.
By which I mean ... um, I guess ... the barber chorus in this song is the shit.