Once Upon A Time

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a perilous, almost mythical descent. The narrator is actively embracing a dangerous situation, likening it to riding a waterfall, a force that others believe is unsurvivable. This act is framed as a deliberate choice, a plunge into the "valley of the night," suggesting a journey into the unknown or a confrontation with darkness. The repeated phrase "I ride the waterfall" acts as a mantra of defiance against overwhelming odds. The central tension arises from the contrast between the narrator's active participation and the perceived danger. While "people say that no one ever survive," the narrator declares, "I still ride the waterfall." This isn't a passive surrender but an embrace of the chaos. The "S.O.S I'm lost" is immediately followed by the reaffirmation of riding the waterfall, indicating a complex emotional state where being lost doesn't equate to giving up. The most striking element is the transformation hinted at in the "once upon a time" narrative. The lyrics suggest a past where the narrator was "free" and lived in a "world of fantasy," but this has given way to a present where they are heading into a "storm" and "darkness." The legend that the narrator "became the thunder and the lighting" implies a powerful, almost elemental apotheosis achieved through this dangerous ride, transforming from a free spirit into a force of nature. This transformation is what gives the lyrics their potent, mythic quality. The writing crafts an image of someone facing an insurmountable challenge not with fear, but with a sense of destiny. The juxtaposition of personal peril with legendary status creates a compelling narrative of self-creation through extreme experience, making the act of riding the waterfall feel less like a fall and more like an ascent into legend.