River of Diamonds is a good example of musical disconnect whereby the sentiment of the lyrics is at odds with the arrangement of the music. Here, the folksy lyrics about returning to a place of comfort and looking for a home are fascinatingly juxtaposed with a typically rocking performance by the ever under-rated The Family Cat. One possible reading of the song is that it concerns someone pining for a lost love and that the search for “hay” as opposed to “hey” shows a desperate need to find someone with whom to make hay with. The question is though, has our protagonist exhausted all their options or can they simply not find anyone whose haymaking skills match up to their former lover? The line, I’m crazy and you know it, as I walk this final mile suggests that if the search has proved fruitless, our protagonist may be about to throw himself into the river and die.
If this should be so then it explains just why the band got PJ Harvey in to guest on the track, one of two which she contributed backing vocals to on the Furthest From the Sun album. Maybe Polly Jean had this track, indirectly, in mind when she recorded Down By the Water a few years later. As good a job as she does both here and on Colour Me Grey, it feels a bit of a waste just having her in on backing vocals only instead of giving her a verse or having her duet with Paul Frederick. I know her profile was still relatively low-key when the album was recorded, but it does feel a little bit like the musical equivalent of inviting a fascinating guest to a party and then making them sit in the meter cupboard all night.
Video courtesy of keef punk
All lyrics are copyright of their authors.
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