Take Me to the River
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"Take Me to the River" is the final track on The Residents' 2025 "modern opera" Doctor Dark. Its title is likely an allusion to the Al Green song of the same title, although it is not a cover version. In the track, Mark experiences a final moment of bliss as Dr. Dark's machine consensually ends his life.
An early demo of this track titled "River Pieces", recorded in 2022, was previewed on an issue of the Cherry Red Residents newsletter; a later demo was then released on the Doctor Dark's Demos album, exclusively to streaming services.
Libretto
No longer afraid, Mark approaches the doctor's machine, attaches himself to it and smiles, inspiring a rainbow to miraculously envelop the room, closely followed by hearts, flowers, smiley faces and euphoric flocks of seraphim, as the teenager's misery drowns in the heavenly music of the spheres.
I can see a river not far away, in the Golden Light of a dying day; It radiates an echo of a smiling face, and offers the conclusion of a warm embrace. Take me to the river River, River tell me, can you fill a hole inside my soul that cannot be killed; River, River please wash me away and free me from a future I will surely hate. Take me to the river, I'm going down Take me to the river, and let me drown Take me to the river, and break my bones Take me to the river, I'm going home Take me to the river, and throw me in Take me to the river... this is the end.
- Doctor Dark CD edition at Cherry Red Records (UK/EU)
- Doctor Dark vinyl edition at Cherry Red Records (UK/EU)
- Doctor Dark CD edition at MVD Shop (US)
- Doctor Dark vinyl edition at MVD Shop (US)