July 11 - The River

Today's song starts a tribute to blue-collar rock lyrics. I am not sure how far it's going to go yet, but I am going to try. The first song is a really great song that I quote in my classes fairly regularly. It's a song about what happens when you let choices make you rather than making the choices yourself - or it's a song about unfulfilled potential. Or, it can simply be a song about love dying - or missing what was. Or, of course, all of the above. But the imagery is beautiful, and the music and delivery of the lyrics really help underline that. Just listen to how he speeds up the vocals, almost brimming with joy of the memories when he sings "I remember us riding...". And then the desperation - "Now those memories come back to haunt me"

The Rivee is such a great song that it deserves being played again and again. I know I have a lot of friends back home who went to see him recently on his tour with The River, revisiting the album, and that really inspired this selection.