What The Water Gave Me

The What The Water Gave Me Songfacts reports that the song is titled after one of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's most famous paintings. It also references the death of British novelist Virginia Woolf, who drowned herself by walking into a river with her coat pockets filled with stones.

[Verse 1] Time it took us To where the water was That’s what the water gave me And time goes quicker Between the two of us But oh, my love, don’t forsake me Take what the water gave me [Chorus] Lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow Pockets full of stones Lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow [Verse 2] And oh, poor Atlas The world’s a beast of a burden You’ve been holding on a long time And all this longing And the ships are left to rust That’s what the water gave us [Chorus] So lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow Pockets full of stones Lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow [Verse 3] Because they took your loved ones But returned them in exchange for you But would you have it any other way? Would you have it any other way? You couldn't have it any other way [Bridge] Because she’s a cruel mistress And a bargain must be made But oh, my love, don’t forget me While I let the water take me [Chorus] Lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow Pockets full of stones Lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow So lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow Pockets full of stones Lay me down Let the only sound Be the overflow