"The River" | ||||
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Single by Garth Brooks | ||||
from the album Ropin' the Wind | ||||
B-side | "We Bury The Hatchet" | |||
Released | April 27, 1992 | |||
Recorded | 1991 | |||
Studio | Jack's Tracks (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 4:25 | |||
Label | Liberty 57765 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Victoria Shaw, Garth Brooks [1] | |||
Producer(s) | Allen Reynolds | |||
Garth Brooks singles chronology | ||||
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"The River" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. In late 1992, it became his ninth Number One hit on the Billboard country charts. It was released in April 1992 as the fifth and final single from his album Ropin' the Wind , and it has appeared on three albums that have sold more than ten million copies each in the US alone, these being Ropin' The Wind, The Hits and Double Live. The song was written by Garth Brooks and Victoria Shaw.
The song is a mid-tempo country pop ballad in which a river is used as an analogy for the pursuit of one's dreams. Through the lyrics, the narrator says that he will continue to pursue his dreams.
Garth provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits :
"Of all songs, most of the letters I receive concern "The River." It is a song of inspiration... a song that I will be proud of a hundred years from now. Victoria Shaw is a wonderful writer and a wonderful friend. And this is what happens when two dreamers get together and write from the heart. One of the greatest awards that this song has ever received was the fact that it was played at Dale Wehr's funeral. Quite an honor, cowboy." [2]
Additional personnel on the song included Kenny Malone on percussion, Edgar Meyer on acoustic bass, and Trisha Yearwood on harmony vocals.
Garth has stated that The River was inspired by childhood hero James Taylor.
Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song as an "ambitious epic". [3] Entertainment Weekly critic Ken Tucker considered it a standout track on the album, saying it "showcase[d]…his ability to imbue baleful country ballads with complex, soulful emotions." [4]
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
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Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [5] | 1 |
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [6] | 1 |
Chart (1992) | Position |
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Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [7] | 35 |
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [8] | 43 |
Troyal Garth Brooks is an American country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the country music single and album charts, multi-platinum recordings and record-breaking live performances, while also crossing over into the mainstream pop arena.
Ropin' the Wind is the third studio album by the American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on September 2, 1991, and was his first studio album to debut at No. 1 the Billboard 200 chart and the Top Country Albums chart. It was the first album by a country singer to top both of these charts since Kenny Rogers just over a decade earlier. It had four runs at No. 1 between September 28, 1991, and April 3, 1992, spending a combined 18 weeks at the top, eventually being certified 14× Platinum by the RIAA in 1998. In the UK, it reached the Top 50 pop albums list and went to No. 1 for several months on the country charts. It is the last studio album on Capitol Records Nashville until the 1995 album Fresh Horses.
American country music singer-songwriter Garth Brooks has released seventeen studio albums, two live albums, and fifty-one singles. He has sold estimated over 170 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to RIAA, Brooks is the top-selling solo artist of all time with 157 million certified albums in the US. American Music Awards honored him the "Artist of the 90s Decade" and iHeartRadio Music Awards also honored him the "Artist of the Decade".
"Rodeo" is a song written by Larry Bastian and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in August 1991 as the first single from his album Ropin' the Wind. It peaked at number three on the U.S. country chart but reached number one on the Canadian country chart.
Double Live is the first live album by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released on November 17, 1998, and is a two-disc compilation of live songs, recorded during Brooks's 1996–98 world tour.
"The Thunder Rolls" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in April 1991 as the fourth and final single from his album No Fences. The song became his sixth number one on the country chart. Co-writer Pat Alger plays acoustic guitar on the track.
"Friends in Low Places" is a song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on August 6, 1990, as the lead single from his album No Fences. The song spent four weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs, and won both the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards for 1990 Single of the Year.
"Unanswered Prayers" is a song by American country music artist Garth Brooks which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart in 1991. It was released on October 12, 1990, as the second single from his album No Fences and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, Double Live and The Ultimate Hits. It was written by Brooks, Pat Alger and Larry Bastian.
"Papa Loved Mama" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in February 1992 as the fourth single from his album Ropin' the Wind and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, Double Live, and The Ultimate Hits. It reached number 3 on the Billboard Country Charts. The song was written by Brooks and Kim Williams.
"We Shall Be Free" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in August 1992 as the first single from his album The Chase and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, Double Live, and The Ultimate Hits. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 1992, becoming his first single to miss the Top 10 on that chart due to an airplay ban from some radio stations. "We Shall Be Free" peaked at #22 on the Billboard Christian Songs charts through a marketing deal with Rick Hendrix Company, and earned Brooks a 1993 GLAAD Media Award. This song was written by Brooks and Stephanie Davis.
"Ain't Going Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in July 1993 as the lead single from his album In Pieces. The song also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, The Ultimate Hits, Double Live, and Triple Live. The spelling of the song has varied from album to album, and is also spelled "Ain't Going Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)." The song was written by Brooks, Kent Blazy, and Kim Williams. It is in the key of G Major.
Victoria Lynn Shaw is an American country singer. She has recorded four studio albums, and has charted five singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. In addition, she has co-written four Number One singles for other country music artists, including Garth Brooks' "The River" as featured on the multi-million selling album Ropin' The Wind and John Michael Montgomery's "I Love the Way You Love Me", which won the 1993 Academy of Country Music award for Song of the Year. With Paul Worley, she is also the co-producer of the debut album of Lady A.
"What She's Doing Now" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album Ropin' the Wind. It spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was co-written by Pat Alger.
"American Honky-Tonk Bar Association" is a song written by Bryan Kennedy and Jim Rushing and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in September 1993 as the second single from his album In Pieces. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"She's Every Woman" is a song written by Victoria Shaw and Garth Brooks, and recorded by Brooks. It was released in August 1995 as the first single from the album Fresh Horses. It was a Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in October 1995, becoming his 14th Number One on that chart.
"The Beaches of Cheyenne" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in December 1995 as the third single from his sixth studio album Fresh Horses. The song became Brooks's 15th Billboard Number One hit in March 1996. The song was written by Brooks, Dan Roberts and Bryan Kennedy.
"Shameless" is a song written by American singer Billy Joel and recorded on his 1989 album Storm Front. His version peaked at No. 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. Two years later, the song was covered by country music artist Garth Brooks on his third studio album, 1991's Ropin' the Wind. Brooks' rendering of the song was his seventh No. 1 hit on the Billboard country charts in late 1991. It also reached No. 71 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" is a debut song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in March 1989 as his debut single, and was served as the first single from his self-titled debut album. It was co-written by Garth Brooks and Randy Taylor. In the U.S., the song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
"Callin' Baton Rouge" is a country music song written by Dennis Linde. The song has been recorded by multiple artists since its composition. It was notably recorded by American country singer and songwriter Garth Brooks whose version was a chart-topping single in the 1990s.
"It's Midnight Cinderella" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in June 1996 as the fifth single from his album Fresh Horses. The song reached a peak of number 5 on the U.S. country charts in mid-1996. It was written by Brooks, Kent Blazy and Kim Williams.