<P> The song 's lyrics tell the story of a woman committing filicide . The woman drowns her daughter `` down by the water '' and `` wo n't see her again . '' The final coda features Harvey whispering the lines : `` little fish , big fish swimming in the water / come back here , man , gim me my daughter . '' The refrain was based on Lead Belly 's rendition of the traditional American folk song `` Salty Dog Blues . '' In 2005 , Harvey used the song 's lyrics in a Spin interview as an example to demonstrate that her songs were not autobiographical : `` Some critics have taken my writing so literally to the point that they 'll listen to ' Down by the Water ' and believe I have actually given birth to a child and drowned her . '' </P>
<P> The song 's lyrics tell the story of a woman committing filicide . The woman drowns her daughter `` down by the water '' and `` wo n't see her again . '' The final coda features Harvey whispering the lines : `` little fish , big fish swimming in the water / come back here , man , gim me my daughter . '' The refrain was based on Lead Belly 's rendition of the traditional American folk song `` Salty Dog Blues . '' In 2005 , Harvey used the song 's lyrics in a Spin interview as an example to demonstrate that her songs were not autobiographical : `` Some critics have taken my writing so literally to the point that they 'll listen to ' Down by the Water ' and believe I have actually given birth to a child and drowned her . '' </P>
pj harvey down by the water lyrics meaning
pj harvey down by the water lyrics meaning
the story of a woman committing filicide
the story of a woman committing filicide