Gone Fishin'
Rivers of Redemption: Exploring Life's Depths in Brother Jack's 'Gone Fishin'
Lyrics
I went down in the cold March water
I immersed myself in the cold March water
You get a line, honey and I'll get a pole
You take one end of the fishing line, and I'll take a fishing pole
We'll go fishing in the old baptizing hole
We will go fishing in the old place where baptisms occur
The old baptizing hole
Referring to the location of past baptisms
The old baptizing hole
Reiteration of the location where baptisms took place
Twenty-odd years ago somebody drowned here
Approximately twenty years ago, someone drowned at this location
The preacher dunked him back and forgot to pull him up
The preacher submerged the person but forgot to bring them back up
The city officials said they could baptize no more
The city officials prohibited further baptisms at that location
Baptize no more
Reiteration of the prohibition of baptisms
Baptize no more
-It's a calm, cool, clear night
The atmosphere is peaceful, cool, and clear
The trees are screaming your name
The trees seem to echo or express a message associated with someone's name
This entire valley’s flooded
The entire valley is flooded, possibly symbolizing a significant event
With your blood
The flooding is metaphorically linked to someone's blood
By your blood
Reiteration of the metaphorical connection between the flooding and someone's blood
With your blood
-I've seen the pictures of the man you call Christ
The speaker describes images of Jesus, emphasizing his physical appearance
A tall, handsome man with baby blue eyes
Further details about the physical appearance of Jesus
He's much too pretty to save a wretch like me
The speaker questions Jesus' ability to save someone considered a wretch
Save me
A plea for salvation
Save me
Repetition of the plea for salvation
I heard a preacher say that in this life
Reference to a preacher's statement about two types of people: the haves and the have-nots
There are two kinds of people, the have’s and have-not’s
The idea that heaven is for the perfect, and the worthless are condemned
Heaven’s for the perfect, worthless be damned
Reiteration of the idea that the worthless are condemned
Worthless be damned
-Worthless be damned
Repetition of the idea that the worthless are condemned
It's a calm, cool, clear night
Restatement of the calm and clear atmosphere
The trees are screaming your name
Reiteration of the trees seemingly calling out a name
This entire valley’s flooded
Repetition of the flooded valley, now explicitly linked to someone's blood
With your blood
Reiteration of the metaphorical connection between the flooding and someone's blood
By your blood
-With your blood
-I went down in the rushing water
The speaker goes down into rushing water, possibly for baptism or purification
The river washes my sin away
Expressing the belief that the river cleanses away sins
The river carries me away
The river carries the speaker away, symbolizing a transformative experience
Carries me away
Reiteration of being carried away by the river
Carries me away
Repetition of being carried away by the river
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