The Holy River
"The Holy River" is a song from Prince's (his stage name at that time being an unpronounceable symbol, see cover art) 1996 album, Emancipation.
The song is pop/rock-based number that tells the story of spiritual enlightenment and of Prince's decision to marry Mayte Garcia. The mid-tempo number features a guitar melody without a chorus. The song climaxes in a searing guitar solo.
The UK CD single was released as a two separate discs which fit in a double jewel case that was included with the first disc. Both discs had different picture sleeves and different contents, other than a "radio edit" of "The Holy River" and edit of "Somebody's Somebody" (also from Emancipation). Disc one also included two remixes of "Somebody's Somebody": a "Livestudio Mix" and an "Ultrafantasy Edit". Both were mostly re-recorded versions of the song with additional lyrics. Disc 2 included the previously released "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Mustang Mix)" and a one-minute commercial called "On Sale Now!". The UK cassette single was the same as disc 2, but without "On Sale Now".
Hydronym
A hydronym (from Greek: ὕδωρ, hydor, "water" and ὄνομα, onoma, "name") is a proper name of a body of water. Hydronymy, a subset of toponymy or the taxonomic study of placenames, is the study of the names of bodies of water, the origins of those names and how they are transmitted through history. Hydronyms can include the names of rivers, lakes, and even oceanic elements.
More than most toponyms, as linguistic items hydronyms are very conservative, with people who move into an area often retaining the existing name of a body of water rather than renaming it in their own language. For example, the Rhine river in Germany bears a Celtic name, not a German name. The Mississippi river in the United States bears an Anishinaabe name, not a French or English one. The names of large rivers are especially conserved, while the local names of small streams are less so.
Therefore, hydronomy can be a tool to reconstruct past cultural interactions, population movements, religious conversions or older languages. For example, history professor Kenneth Jackson identified a river-name pattern against which to fit the story of the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain and the pockets of survival of native British culture. His river map of Britain divided the island into three principal areas of English settlement: the river valleys draining eastward where surviving British names are limited to the largest rivers and Saxon settlement was early and dense, the highland spine, and a third region where British hydronyms apply even to the smaller streams.
Podcasts:
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by Prince
The Holy River
by: PrinceLet's go down 2 the holy river
If we drown then we'll be delivered
U can still see the picture upon the wall
One eye staring at nothing at all
The other one trying 2 focus through all your tears
U can try and try but there's nothin' 2 hide
U can't run from yourself and what's inside
U got 2 find the answers 2 the questions that U most fear
So over and over U ask your soul
Why'd U come down 2 a world so cold?
And the voice inside says 2night the truth will be told
U surrounded yourself with all the wrong faces
Spending your time in all the wrong places
Puttin' your faith in things that only make U cry
People say they love U when they wanna help
But how can they when U can't help yourself?
The more they say they love U, the more U just wanna die
So here we go again, the self analysis
Have another glass of Port and uh.. forget this
The band's playin' at the club 2night and they're bound 2 groove
There U are, U think U're high
U can't ask yourself cuz U'd only lie
If U had a dollar 4 every time U tried
U can't call nobody cuz they'll tell U straight up
Come and make love when U really hate 'em
Relationships based on the physical are over and done
They're over and done (They're over and done)
U'd rather have fun
With only one, with only one
Only one... one (one)
And then it hit 'cha like a fist on a wall
Who gave U life when there was none at all?
Who gave the sun permission 2 rise up everyday? (Ooh, oh yes)
Let me tell it (Go'n)
If U ask God 2 love U longer
Every breath U take will make U stronger
Keepin' U happy (happy) and proud 2 call His name (Go'n and say it)
Jesus (Jesus)
And over and over U ask your soul
Why'd U come down 2 a world so cold?
And the voice inside said 2night the truth will be told
And this time I was listening, hear me
Let's go down 2 the holy river
If we drown then we'll be delivered (Yes we will)
If we don't then we'll never see the light (No)
If U die before U try
U'll have 2 come back and face the light (Oh yes)
When U believe it, U got a good reason 2 cry (Oh my, my)
So I went on down 2 the holy river
I called my girl and told her I had something 2 give her
I asked her 2 marry me and she said yes, I cried
Oh, that night I drowned in her tears and mine
And.. and instead of a glass of sorrow and wine
Looking back y'all, I don't miss nothing except the time
And when I see that picture upon the wall
The one eye staring at nothing at all
My eyes trying 2 focus but these are much different tears
Oh, yes they are
Let's go down 2 the holy river [x3]