The River, is where the story really begins, so it was important to introduce the characters who start the journey.
The song was actually written about 6 songs in. 

I woke at around 5pm and couldn't get back to sleep. All of a sudden I new how the story would begin. I wrote the lyrics for the first two verses and chorus before I went back to sleep!

This also gave me a chance to introduce the main 3 vocalists, being myself, Ray Gee and Hannah Morgan.

Here is a breakdown of the lyrics.
 

THE RIVER (Steele)
A preacher, and a Song-man, were walking down the highway          Ray Gee & Al Steele
One has an old guitar, One has a Bible in his hand                              Two people searching for something
A young girl from the Purelands, joined them on the Black Road      The Purelands is a closed community…
Said I'm seeing things that I don't understand                                       with no contact with the outside world

I saw a cloud grow like a mushroom, I swore it had a clown face       Hannah Morgan sings - the clown face is Trump!
Four horses rode before it on the wind                                                   Biblical references - 4 horses of the apocalypse
I felt the deaths of a million Brothers, at the hands of the Devil's son   No prizes for guessing Israel
Heard the cries of pain when the cycle starts again… and again           The ceasefire is broken again and again

He said 'That's the sound of war                                    Ray sings…
and that's the sound of hate
Better cross the river                                                       The River was seen in an old parchment with war behind it.
Before it's much too late                                                 They believe if they can find the river, they can cross to safety
Cause on the other side
So the prophecies are told
Are the souls that feed the river                                     We later learn that the river is symbolic and is ‘the river of souls’
As the river feeds the soul'                                              Our love and hate feeds into the river. You reap what you sow

As the sun fell, toward the mountains, they ignored the clouds behind them
And the Song-man sang of gatherings in the sun       Gotta love a singsong to help forget your troubles!
When his family were reunited, they could join us on the Black Road The Song-man has been seperated from his… 
And get far away from the riots and the guns          …partner. The Black Road is made from the profits of gasoline

Far from the call of war                                                   When they are reunited they can all search for The River
And the acrid stench of hate
Get 'em 'cross the river
Before it's much too late
Cause on the other side
So the prophecies are told
Are the souls that feed the river
As the river feeds the soul

SOLO

Can you hear the sound of war
Can you see the scowl of hate
Better cross the river
Before it's much too late
Cause on the other side
So the prophecies are told
Are the souls that feed the river
As the river feeds the soul