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T‐Bone Burnett — River of Love
Album: T Bone Burnett
Avg rating:
5.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 697









Released: 1992
Length: 3:27
Plays (last 30 days): 0
There's a river of love that runs through all times
There's a river of grief that floods through our lives
It starts when a heart is broken in two
By the thief of belief in anything that's true
But there's a river of love that runs through all times

There's a river of love that runs through all times
But there's a river of tears that flows through our eyes
We fight through the night for freedom as it fades
Into a jail where we fail every time we make a break
But there's a river of love that runs through all times

I had to run before I knew how to crawl
The first step was hard but I've had trouble with them all
But now the night grows darker and the day grows dim
'Cause I know I never will see you again
And I almost made you happy

There's a river of love that runs through all times
There's a river of fire that burns with no lights
The flame is the pain of dreams gone up in smoke
From the lies we deny and we breathe them till we choke
But there's a river of love that runs through all times
Comments (64)add comment
A solid 10 for me, which is no surprise, since the whole album must be rated 10 on average. 👍
 mardisoninnc wrote:
His ex-wife's (Sam Phillips, who went by Leslie Phillips when this song was written and released) version, which is the original one, is much better.  Her voice is like honey compared to T. Bone's in my opinion. 
 

In my opinion,T Bone's is the better version!!
 oldman wrote:
Finally looked up the credits for this, the resonator guitar just sounded to much like Jerry Douglas.
Well it was Jerry Douglas on Dobro, David Hidalgo  and Mr. Burnnet on guitar. 
May have to find a copy of this......
 
Yeah, he is pretty distinctive. And Mr. Burnett can probably get any musician he wants, why not get the best? Maybe the best ever...
c.
 oldman wrote:

Personally, I find "flawed?" voices much more interesting to listen to.
For instance, Janis Joplin would have been boing with perfect vocal performances.
Although I love Sally Ellyson, I would not listen to her struggle through "Ball and Chain".

 
There's a difference between "flawed but amazing" voices Like Janis (and Neil, Bob, etc) and mediocre. I love T Bone as a writer and producer... 

Looks like folks here have become comfortable with the hybrid sameness of the current crop of pop/rock/country singers. Sad.
 oldman wrote:

Personally, I find "flawed?" voices much more interesting to listen to.
For instance, Janis Joplin would have been boing with perfect vocal performances.
Although I love Sally Ellyson, I would not listen to her struggle through "Ball and Chain".
  My thoughts too!  The ability to sing beautifully is great, and has it's spots for sure, although my feeling is that when you're singing about sad things (such as grief and lost love) you SHOULD NOT have a beautiful voice.  Heck, so many people like listening to Pearl Jam yet that's a TERRIBLE voice (IMO of course) - so why the double standard with T Bone?  I'm rating this track a 7.
Forget the song, who posed him for the CD Cover ? Ok kids lets post some mistakes you learned in school...
 dragon1952 wrote:
I'm sure the guy is very talented but some people just shouldn't sing. Add Tom Petty  on vocals (because this guy sounds like a really bad version of TP) and that might be a pretty decent tune.

 
Personally, I find "flawed?" voices much more interesting to listen to.
For instance, Janis Joplin would have been boing with perfect vocal performances.
Although I love Sally Ellyson, I would not listen to her struggle through "Ball and Chain".

Finally looked up the credits for this, the resonator guitar just sounded to much like Jerry Douglas.
Well it was Jerry Douglas on Dobro, David Hidalgo  and Mr. Burnnet on guitar. 
May have to find a copy of this......
I'm sure the guy is very talented but some people just shouldn't sing. Add Tom Petty  on vocals (because this guy sounds like a really bad version of TP) and that might be a pretty decent tune.

  
And some people shouldn't try to be music critics.
{#Yes}  {#Clap}
His ex-wife's (Sam Phillips, who went by Leslie Phillips when this song was written and released) version, which is the original one, is much better.  Her voice is like honey compared to T. Bone's in my opinion. 
Great song, great voice, greatbone!
 dragon1952 wrote:
I'm sure the guy is very talented but some people just shouldn't sing. Add Tom Petty  on vocals (because this guy sounds like a really bad version of TP) and that might be a pretty decent tune.

 
And some people shouldn't try to be music critics.
I like it!  

When it came on, it made me turn to the other computer to see who it was.

I'm going to check this guy out.


I'm sure the guy is very talented but some people just shouldn't sing. Add Tom Petty  on vocals (because this guy sounds like a really bad version of TP) and that might be a pretty decent tune.
Well, that was unpleasant, wasn't it?

 
i learned something here today, i didn't know T Bone did his own music, i thought he was just a producer, kinda sounds like he wants to channel Roy Orbison in his singing
 jimtyrrell wrote:
Tuff crowd on this song. I like it and so does Loop and Lill.....

 
 
Roger that.
might not be his best song, but tbb is an impressive guy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_Bone_Burnett_production_discography

 
{#Ass}
Tuff crowd on this song. I like it and so does Loop and Lill.....

 
There's country (which is bad enough) and then there's this.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.
a shocker.  dumping the vocal track would be a great improvement
Not his best but still good.  Definitely an underplayed artist.
fok you and my exboyfriend. fok you.
Conjures that scene in "Airplane!" where the lady is playing guitar for the heart transplant patient.
 aflanigan wrote:
This is actually not from "Criminal under my own hat", but from his self titled 1986 release. Great to hear anything from him, particularly this CD. More T-Bone!
 
Thanks. I was very confused by the cover art showing for this song. This might not be the best T-Bone, but it's always nice to hear him.
I really rate this man, but these lyrics are pretty awful cheese...
 donnyballgame wrote:
He's channeling his inner Orbison...in a parallel universe of course.
 
Orbison? I'm hearing Buddy Holly...
 donnyballgame wrote:
He's channeling his inner Orbison...in a parallel universe of course.
 
Like your comment about the parallel stuff
This is such an awful song I don't know what to say. If I were T-Bone I'd be embarrassed. Every performer makes a few mistakes in their career and this hast to be one of T-Bone's. Please! Please, don't play it again!

He's channeling his inner Orbison...in a parallel universe of course.


Oh, I get it!  He's intentionally singing horribly as a metaphor of the loveless state of the...

oh, forget it.
Roverfish wrote:
T Bone may be an incredible producer and decent song-writer, but a vocalist he is not. He should have handed off those duties to someone else. That's what keeps holding me back from liking this more.
Yep.
'There's a great deal of cheese and it runs through this song..."
This is actually not from "Criminal under my own hat", but from his self titled 1986 release. Great to hear anything from him, particularly this CD. More T-Bone!
T Bone may be an incredible producer and decent song-writer, but a vocalist he is not. He should have handed off those duties to someone else. That's what keeps holding me back from liking this more.
Not so much with the enjoyment of this one.
trekhead wrote:
Anyone notice how much he looks like a cross between John Lennon/ Leon (the Hit Man) on the album cover?
heh, I just watched Leon last night. *awesome* movie! And yeah, I can definitely see the likeness.
Anyone notice how much he looks like a cross between John Lennon/ Leon (the Hit Man) on the album cover?
neuraljazz wrote:
There's a "river of love" lyric that keeps getting repeated. Why you playing this shiznak?
Yeah, But whats the title of this track?
makes me think of that wood-heated house in the woods outside new paltz ny, where one of the guys had built his bed with trees he felled in the woods and another was throwing pots with clay she dug up by the river ... crunchy.
"There's a river of cheese, running all through this one"
OK, I'd never heard these last 3, but they have all been very COOL! Nice set! Go RP!
Reminds me of a song my daughter used to sing in Kindergarten
If you like this song, check out Sam Phillips' cover of it. More energy and less country twang. Best of all, it keeps T-Bone on his gorgeous open steel string rhythm guitar.
Hey KevDog...third time around I'm starting to like this song!
Just not my cup of tea either.
KevDogRedux wrote:
I'm a bit taken aback by the negative comments, but that's what make the world go 'round, right? For me, this is a beautiful song that always brings me back to center when I'm danger of going completely out of balance.
Nice song, indeed, Kev. It just might not be my speed.
I'm a bit taken aback by the negative comments, but that's what make the world go 'round, right? For me, this is a beautiful song that always brings me back to center when I'm danger of going completely out of balance.
There is much, much, much better T Bone that could be playing right now. This pretty much stinks.
cheesy, canned... cheezewhiz.
There\'s a \"river of love\" lyric that keeps getting repeated. Why you playing this shiznak?
I never really liked his producing all that much and this is hardly what I would call stellar. I think Sam would have been much better off with a better producer. But since they\'re married I don\'t see that she has much choice. :)
Originally Posted by Kolrabi: This is almost a little too upbeat downbeat, but still nice.
What?
This is almost a little too upbeat downbeat, but still nice.
T-Bone Burnett is so involved in other people\'s music, that I forget that he is a musician himself. And a very good one at that. It\'s nice to hear him on his own.
Does anyone else hear shades of Rodney Crowell in T Bone\'s vocals in this song? I love both of them and never would have thought they were similar! Who knew! The things RP shows us! ;)
It swings, Jocko.
Thanks for reminding me of T Bone Burnett and this little masterpiece.
I\'m just in a really good mood, but this song hits it right on the head on this cool rainy evening that I\'m listening to the greatest station on earth. Jim
Nice to see that you are putting more of T Bone on the playlist. Thanks.