What's The Real Meaning Of River By Miley Cyrus? Here's What We Think

With Miley Cyrus' music, you get the "Best of Both Worlds." The singer has released some tear-jerking songs and some certified bangers throughout the years. She has come a long way from her Disney Channel days, and it shows as she continues to release new music, especially with her latest album, "Endless Summer Vacation."

In January 2023, "The Last Song" actor announced via social media that her eighth studio album, "Endless Summer Vacation," would be released that March. Fans went crazy as they had been waiting three years for new music from the superstar. During her Disney+ special, "Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions)," she spoke about the songwriting process. Cyrus explained, "When I am writing a song, I try to be really descriptive in my lyrics and paint a picture of the moment in time that the song stemmed from, so the visuals are pretty vivid in the words."

When the album officially dropped, it was clear that her songwriting was as descriptive as she had mentioned. Track after track told a new story about Cyrus' life, and one that stood out to many was the song titled, "River." The pop track is bound to get anyone up on their feet dancing, and the groovy tune might be a distraction from the lyrics Cyrus sings. But when we dive deep into the lyrics, what does "River" actually mean?

Miley Cyrus ditched her clean-cut Disney image years ago, and her new track, "River," off "Endless Summer Vacation" proves this to be true. When fans first heard the song, they quickly assumed it was about Cyrus' sex life, and the lyrics point in the same direction. In one of the bridges, Cyrus sings, "I feel you everywhere / Your face is all in my hair (Hair) / Covered up in your sweat / It turns me on that you care / Baby your love, it flows just like a river."

The sexual innuendos in the song don't end at the bridge but continue throughout the chorus. Cyrus sings, "You're just like a river (Livin' in an April shower) / You go on forever (You're pourin' down, baby, drown me out) / You're just like a river." While the lyrics seem innocent at first glance, it has more of a sexual undertone as she seems to describe making love to someone.

Cyrus shared a post from her Disney+ special, "Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions)," where she confirmed that "River" is about sex. She shared, "River, sometimes we just need a dance floor banger aka they don't want me to talk about the fact that the song is about [redacted]. It's f***ing nasty. It's nasty." While the meaning was cut out, it didn't take long for people to connect the dots that "River" was about Cyrus' more private romantic life.

It's not a far stretch to think that "River" could possibly be inspired by Miley Cyrus' boyfriend, Maxx Morando. While the two have known each other since 2021, Cyrus and Morando did not explore the romantic side of their relationship until February 2022, per Us Weekly. The pair have been private about their love life, and the "Flowers" singer has only mentioned him on rare occasions. In May 2023, she revealed to British Vogue how the two met, saying, "We got put on a blind date. Well, it was blind for me and not really for him. I thought, 'The worst that can happen is I leave.'" Cyrus even gave Morando a cheeky compliment, calling him "sexy." That compliment fits pretty well with what "River" is about.

When Cyrus shared a snippet from her Disney+ special, "Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions)," she not only confirmed "River" was about sex but also talked about how she has been showered with love. She said, "River it was a time in my life where I was going through just a lot, emotionally and personally. And I guess all of my songs kind of evolve they can start as something that was a trouble like it just feels like it's an April shower, it never stops raining and then it started raining down love." Seeing as Cyrus and Morando are madly in love, it would seem likely he was a possible inspiration for "River."