"Down by the Water" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Decemberists | ||||
from the album The King is Dead | ||||
Released | November 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2010 | |||
Genre | Folk rock | |||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | The Decemberists, Colin Meloy | |||
The Decemberists singles chronology | ||||
|
Down by the Water is a song on the American indie rock band The Decemberists' sixth album, The King is Dead. It was released as a single in 2010.
"Down By the Water" includes Peter Buck and singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, who contribute 12-string guitar and vocal harmonies, respectively. [1] It also features accordion riffs and heavy harmonica reminiscent of Neil Young; [2] particularly the song " Heart of Gold". [3] "Down By the Water" has been compared to the music of Bruce Springsteen. [4] [5] It was featured for free download on November 2, 2010, on their official website. Meloy has said that The King Is Dead is more straightforward and heavily influenced by R.E.M., [6] and "Down By the Water" is a prime example. [7] Meloy himself has said that the song "started out as more of a paean to R.E.M. than I think any of us really wanted it to be". [8]
Lyrically, "Down By the Water" is vaguely mournful. [9] It has been described as "folksy", "uptempo", [10] and "country-esque", and the chorus as "booming". [4] Though "Down By the Water" has been called "catchy" and radio-friendly, it is also said to lack the quality of prose found on earlier Decemberists' work. [2]
The song reached number 33 on the U.S. Rock songs chart. [11] It was favorably reviewed by critics. NPR considered it one of the top 100 songs of 2011. [12] It was ranked the 97th best song of the year by Pazz and Jop. [13] The song was nominated for both Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song at the 54th Grammy Awards. [14]
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Adult album alternative [15] | 2 |
U.S. Rock songs [11] | 33 |
Japan Hot 100 [16] | 35 |
"Down by the Water" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Decemberists | ||||
from the album The King is Dead | ||||
Released | November 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2010 | |||
Genre | Folk rock | |||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | The Decemberists, Colin Meloy | |||
The Decemberists singles chronology | ||||
|
Down by the Water is a song on the American indie rock band The Decemberists' sixth album, The King is Dead. It was released as a single in 2010.
"Down By the Water" includes Peter Buck and singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, who contribute 12-string guitar and vocal harmonies, respectively. [1] It also features accordion riffs and heavy harmonica reminiscent of Neil Young; [2] particularly the song " Heart of Gold". [3] "Down By the Water" has been compared to the music of Bruce Springsteen. [4] [5] It was featured for free download on November 2, 2010, on their official website. Meloy has said that The King Is Dead is more straightforward and heavily influenced by R.E.M., [6] and "Down By the Water" is a prime example. [7] Meloy himself has said that the song "started out as more of a paean to R.E.M. than I think any of us really wanted it to be". [8]
Lyrically, "Down By the Water" is vaguely mournful. [9] It has been described as "folksy", "uptempo", [10] and "country-esque", and the chorus as "booming". [4] Though "Down By the Water" has been called "catchy" and radio-friendly, it is also said to lack the quality of prose found on earlier Decemberists' work. [2]
The song reached number 33 on the U.S. Rock songs chart. [11] It was favorably reviewed by critics. NPR considered it one of the top 100 songs of 2011. [12] It was ranked the 97th best song of the year by Pazz and Jop. [13] The song was nominated for both Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song at the 54th Grammy Awards. [14]
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Adult album alternative [15] | 2 |
U.S. Rock songs [11] | 33 |
Japan Hot 100 [16] | 35 |