Once I saw the river clean - meaning?

T. H. Auden

Well-Known Member
Hey, english is not my first language, therefore I'm not familiar with all expressions and idioms in the language, so I wonder what does it mean to see a river clean? Is it a common expression and what does it mean? Normally rivers have clean water so it's transparent, but maybe the rivers in Manchester during Morrisseys childhood was polluted and unclear, due to e.g. industry? And that this sentence symbolises a presence in those times, seeing at first his current poor state (dirty river), but then visualising his future unfold as a popstar and the river becoming clean? Something like that?
 
Hey, english is not my first language, therefore I'm not familiar with all expressions and idioms in the language, so I wonder what does it mean to see a river clean? Is it a common expression and what does it mean? Normally rivers have clean water so it's transparent, but maybe the rivers in Manchester during Morrisseys childhood was polluted and unclear, due to e.g. industry? And that this sentence symbolises a presence in those times, seeing at first his current poor state (dirty river), but then visualising his future unfold as a popstar and the river becoming clean? Something like that?
Maybe he once saw his grandmother dancing when she was "free and young". Like a clean river. I don't know. What's your guess?
 
Hey, english is not my first language, therefore I'm not familiar with all expressions and idioms in the language, so I wonder what does it mean to see a river clean? Is it a common expression and what does it mean? Normally rivers have clean water so it's transparent, but maybe the rivers in Manchester during Morrisseys childhood was polluted and unclear, due to e.g. industry? And that this sentence symbolises a presence in those times, seeing at first his current poor state (dirty river), but then visualising his future unfold as a popstar and the river becoming clean? Something like that?
you could be right,britain in the seventies was a very dirty place.any sort of canal or river would be polluted with all sorts of junk people just threw away,there was no such thing as recycling in those days.the lyrics could be something completely different.
 
Hey, english is not my first language, therefore I'm not familiar with all expressions and idioms in the language, so I wonder what does it mean to see a river clean? Is it a common expression and what does it mean? Normally rivers have clean water so it's transparent, but maybe the rivers in Manchester during Morrisseys childhood was polluted and unclear, due to e.g. industry? And that this sentence symbolises a presence in those times, seeing at first his current poor state (dirty river), but then visualising his future unfold as a popstar and the river becoming clean? Something like that?
Yes, I think so. Like Gordy says, it was common for rivers and canals to be polluted back then. Or maybe it's the other way around - maybe the 'clean river' is the uncomplicated life of his childhood, before adulthood came and things changed. But it's not an English idiom - 'seeing a river clean' is not a saying or expression, it doesn't mean anything on its own.
 
I reckon it's about the LA River that runs all through Moz Angeles and empties into Long Beach. There's really never that much water in it because it never rains in Southern California, reckon that's why the California Son hates rainy days and cold weather. The California Son grew up with it right in his backyard in the San Fernando Valley. You foreigners always see it in movies, music videos, and GTA. Huge concrete walls were built around it and it is rarely clean farke arse c*** tit skozer zed twat inn nnn n nnn nnnn nnn n n it.
 
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