Musical Gems - River

River Phoenix died early in the morning of October 31, 1993 at the age of 23.  He died of a heroine overdose in the presence of his sister Rain, brother Joaquin, and girlfriend Samantha Mathis outside of a nightclub on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, called the Viper Room.

Natalie Merchant was the lead singer and main songwriter for 10,000 Maniacs.  She left the band in 1993 and released her first solo album, Tigerlily, that same year.  She had three hits from this album, "Carnival", "Wonder", and "Jealousy".  But the best song on the album is called "River," and is a tribute/commentary on the death of River Phoenix, who was a friend.

https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/album//Natalie+Merchant/Tigerlily

Music comes from and inspires emotion, and the sense of loss at the unexpected death of a loved one or friend is a very powerful emotion.  This is a very powerful song.

Young and strong Hollywood son 

In the early morning light 

This star fell down 

On Sunset Boulevard

Young and strong beautiful one 

We embraced so close 

Is gone 

Was torn away

Let the youth of America mourn 

Include him in their prayers 

Let his image linger on 

Repeat it everywhere

With candles, with flowers 

He was one of ours 

One of ours

Why don't you let him be? 

He's gone 

We know 

Give his mother and his father peace 

Your vulture's candor 

Your casual slander 

You murder his memory 

He's gone 

We know 

It's nothing but a tragedy

Lay to rest your soul and body 

Lay beside your name 

Lay to rest your rage 

Your hunger and amazing grace

With candles, with flowers 

You were one of ours 

One of ours

I saw cameras expose your life 

I heard rumors explode with lies 

I saw children in tears 

Cry and crowd around the sight 

Of where you had collapsed that day 

Where your last breath and word 

Had been sighed 

Where your heart had burst 

Where you had died

I saw how they were lost in grieving 

All half believing you were gone 

The loss and pain of it 

Crime and shame of it 

You were gone 

It was such a nightmare raving, 

"how could we save him from himself?"

Songwriters: Natalie A Merchant

River lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Because his death was due to an overdose, rumors swirled about Phoenix's lifestyle.  His friends and family members were hounded by the press.  This song is, in part a response to that.  Merchant says, "Why don't you let him be? He's gone. We know.  Give his mother and his father peace.  Your vulture's candor, Your casual slander, You murder his memory." And, " I heard rumors explode with lies."  But there is much more than anger at the way the public treated "One of ours."  This song captures the grief and loss of an unexpected death.  The realization that a loved one is gone.  How they are missed.

River Phoenix died of a drug overdose at far to young an age.  There are many others like him: Heath Ledger, Jimi Hendricks, Kurt Cobain, Marilyn Monroe, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Whitney Houston.  The list is seemingly endless.  Some of these deaths were accidental.  Some were suicides.  Brad Delp, former lead vocalist for Boston, took his own life.  So did Robin Williams, Vincent Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, and Anthony Bourdain.  Others have been struck down early by disease or accident: Freddie Mercury, Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, Duane Allman, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.  When their airplane crashed in 1977, Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines of Lynyrd Skynyrd died.  The lists go on, and on, and on.

Just as important are the thousands of other, less famous people who die this way each year.  All have family and friends that grieve for them as much as anyone grieves for the famous.  This song is for anyone who has lost a loved one unexpectedly.