THE RIVER - chords and comments
Lyrics without distraction HERE
I can't believe I've never advocated a Springsteen song until now. The only reason, is that I've had too much respect to perform any of them, because the boss have recorded and performed them fundamentally. When our generations are gone, and even more have passed away, people in search of folk music history will find three artists, singers and songwriters from our age essential: Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.In 1979, Bruce had released his famous albums "Born to Run"(1975) and "Darkness on the Edge of Town"(1978) and thereby stated himself and his E-Street Band as leaders of american folk-rock music. He wanted to do something different, melting himself with the band. The result took 18 months to complete, and resulted in the double album "The River", released October 1980.
It is thoroughly recorded "live in studio", giving a garage sound. The collaboration between Jon Landau, Steven Van Zandt and Bruce himself in addition to the fabulous members of the E-Street Band, gave "The River" a feeling of being inside the studio as a virtual public. And it really have to be played from vinyl. The garage sound is impossible to digitalize: feelings can never be digitalized.
The title song may be the best Bruce ever wrote. A tale of a simple life and fate, which I expect millions of people to have faced. I don't rock this song. I make it simple and emotional, as I think it was written. Somewhere I read that it's about Bruce's sister and brother-in-law. I don't mind; as for myself I lean back taking a trip back to these days I regularily visited a small family in a rural, peaceful place, cooling and playing the whole night through - and where I first heard this song and the album. So; here we go; after all these years:
Em G Am C I come from down in the valley where mister when you're young Em G C G they bring you up to do like your daddy done C Am G D Em me and Mary we met in high school when she was just seventeen Am Cmaj7 C we'd drive out of this valley down to where the fields were green Em C D we'd go down to the river D7 D6 G and into the river we'd dive Em Cmaj7 D7sus4 ... Cmaj7 ... oh down to the river we’d ride Em G Am C then I got Mary pregnant and man that was all she wrote Em G C G and for my 19th birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat C Am G D Em we went down to the courthouse and the judge put it all to rest Am no wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle Cmaj7 C no flowers no wedding dress Em C D that night we went down to the river D7 D6 G and into the river we'd dive Em Cmaj7 D7sus4 ... Cmaj7 ... oh down to the river we did ride Em G Am C I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company Hm G C G but lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy C Am now all them things that seemed so important G D Em well mister they vanished right into the air Am Cmaj7 C now I just act like I don't remember Mary acts like she don't care Em G but I remember us riding in my brother's car D C her body tan and wet down at the reservoir Em G at night on them banks I'd lie awake C G and pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take C now those memories come back to haunt me G D Em they haunt me like a curse Am Cmaj7 C is a dream a lie if it don't come true or is it something worse Em C D D7 D6 G that sends me down to the river though I know the river is dry Em Cmaj7 D7sus4 ... Cmaj7 ... that sends me down to the river tonight Em C D D6 G down to the river my baby and I Em Cmaj7 D7sus4 Cmaj7 ... oh down to the river we ride ooh...
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