Seneca Creek
Charles Wesley Godwin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴In the spring of 1949
That′s when I crossed the county line
It's there I saw in Seneca Creek
A girl named Ruth who washed her feet
I told her my name was R.C. Phares
That I′d marry her with half a karat
She said "I do, but no stone can reach
The prettiest shine of this here creek"
The mud was deep and the roads were wide
We'd retreat and then re-take the lines
Korean winters had torn me down
And killed all the boys from my hometown
But I'm coming home, Ruth, my dear
I got money in my pocket, don′t you fear
We′ll build a life by Seneca Creek
You'll have everything you′ll ever need

Let's build a home by Seneca Creek
And raise ourselves a family
I′ll work on the farm, you work the store
We'll have everything we ever hoped for
With the top of a mountain above our heads
And the roar of Seneca by the bed
Seneca Creek

And sure enough, the hard times came
You loved yours, I did the same
But we made it through the winter′s cold
And many summers young and old
In '85 the creek did rise
But it only took the other side
Took Gandee, North Fork and South Branch too
The house still stood that I built for you

In '94 when you got sick
We′d make up trips for the hell of it
Take my hand, Ruth, my dear
I′ll take you back to any year
And now you lie on the hill up high
Right beneath the mountain sky
Seneca Creek sings below
Atop the tree sits a lonely crow

We built a home by Seneca Creek
And raised ourselves a family
I worked on the farm, you worked the store
We had everything we'd ever hoped for
With the top of a mountain above our heads

And the roar of Seneca by the bed
Seneca Creek

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Charles Wesley Godwin's "Seneca Creek" tell a story about love, survival, and perseverance. The song opens in the spring of 1949, when the singer crosses the county line and meets a girl named Ruth, who washes her feet in Seneca Creek. The singer tells Ruth that he will marry her with half of a karat, but Ruth responds that no diamond can compare to the shine of the creek. The singer promises to build a life with Ruth by Seneca Creek, and they will have everything they ever hoped for.

As the song progresses, the singer and Ruth face hard times, but they persevere. They build a home and raise a family by Seneca Creek, and the singer works on the farm while Ruth works in the store. Despite the challenges they face, they have everything they ever wanted, with the top of a mountain above their heads and the roar of Seneca Creek by the bed. In the end, Ruth passes away and is buried on the hill up high, beneath the mountain sky. Seneca Creek continues to sing below, and a lonely crow sits atop the tree.

The song's message is one of resilience, perseverance, and the enduring power of love. Despite the hardships that life brings, the singer and Ruth build a life together by Seneca Creek and overcome all obstacles. The creek itself serves as a symbol of the beauty and strength of nature, and the singer's love for Ruth shines through in every verse.

Line by Line Meaning

In the spring of 1949
The singer recalls a particular moment in time when this story takes place

That's when I crossed the county line
The singer traveled across a boundary into a new location

It's there I saw in Seneca Creek
The singer saw something special in this particular place by the creek

A girl named Ruth who washed her feet
The artist observed Ruth washing her feet, a mundane activity that caught their attention

I told her my name was R.C. Phares
The artist introduced themselves to Ruth with a different name, possibly to charm or impress her

That I'd marry her with half a karat
The singer made a proposal to Ruth with a less-than-impressive engagement ring

She said 'I do, but no stone can reach
Ruth accepted the proposal but also noted that the ring's value couldn't compare to the beauty of the creek

The prettiest shine of this here creek'
Ruth found the sparkles of the water more appealing than the value of the ring

The mud was deep and the roads were wide
The conditions of the area were challenging to navigate

We'd retreat and then re-take the lines
The couple had to retreat from the difficulties they faced and then approach them again

Korean winters had torn me down
The singer had experienced difficulties before and specifically mentions Korean winters as a challenging time

And killed all the boys from my hometown
The war took the lives of many from the artist's hometown

But I'm coming home, Ruth, my dear
The singer plans on returning to Ruth after the war

I got money in my pocket, don't you fear
The singer has enough money to provide for his loved ones

We'll build a life by Seneca Creek
The couple plans to create a future for themselves in this particular place

You'll have everything you'll ever need
The artist promises to provide everything necessary for Ruth to have a happy life

Let's build a home by Seneca Creek
The idea of creating a home in this place is reiterated

And raise ourselves a family
The couple plans to have children and start a family

I'll work on the farm, you work the store
The couple outlines who will have which responsibilities in their future life together

We'll have everything we ever hoped for
The couple anticipates a bright and happy future with all their desires fulfilled

With the top of a mountain above our heads
The couple will be living in the shadow of a mountain, offering a sense of grandeur and awe

And the roar of Seneca by the bed
They'll hear the sound of the creek as they sleep at night

And sure enough, the hard times came
Despite their dreams and optimism, tough times still arrived

You loved yours, I did the same
The couple remained committed and in love despite difficult circumstances

But we made it through the winter's cold
They persevered through tough times, particularly the harsh winter

And many summers young and old
They shared many seasons together that passed by quickly

In '85 the creek did rise
A specific event occurred in 1985 when the creek flooded

But it only took the other side
The flood didn't affect the couple's side of the creek

Took Gandee, North Fork and South Branch too
The flood did, however, affect other areas by the creek

The house still stood that I built for you
Despite the flood, the house the singer built for Ruth was still standing

In '94 when you got sick
Another significant year mentioned in the song, when Ruth fell ill

We'd make up trips for the hell of it
Despite Ruth's illness, the couple still shared moments of joy and spontaneity

Take my hand, Ruth, my dear
The artist offers comfort and support to Ruth during her illness

I'll take you back to any year
The artist offers to transport Ruth back in time to a moment of joy or happiness

And now you lie on the hill up high
The song takes a sad turn as Ruth has passed away and is now buried on a hill

Right beneath the mountain sky
Her resting place is beneath the sky and the mountain they once admired

Seneca Creek sings below
The creek continues to flow and make noise in the background

Atop the tree sits a lonely crow
The visual image of a crow atop a tree adds to the somber tone of the song

We built a home by Seneca Creek
The repetition of this line emphasizes the importance of this location to the couple's story

And raised ourselves a family
Despite their struggles, the couple still managed to have children and create a family

I worked on the farm, you worked the store
Reiterated again to emphasize the division of labor in their household

We had everything we'd ever hoped for
Despite challenges and tough times, they still lived a fulfilling life and had their dreams come true

With the top of a mountain above our heads
The mountain remains a constant presence in their daily life

And the roar of Seneca by the bed
The sound of the creek brings comfort and familiarity to their lives

Seneca Creek
The final reiteration of the name of the song's location emphasizes its role as a central element to the story

Writer(s): Charles Wesley Godwin

Contributed by Lily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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