The River ~ Dan Fogelberg [ CC ]

** Special dedicate "The River" to my partner Mariaglenn, nickname River, welcome back!
**** May this song bring comforts to those who lost everything in the flooding...
"I wrote this on an acid trip at the music school at the University of Illinois. An important transitional song in my life, but again too cynical for one so young. My one and only recorded guitar playing with a wah-wah pedal." (Dan Fogelberg) Special thanks to Bobby for sharing Dan's words from his Portrait booklet to us.
To all Dan fans, Dan's story starts in Peoria, Illinois. A little town, river run through it. I tried to use this song as background music to paint the story of Dan's great journey when he was only 20 years old. He rented a pickup truck in Chicago, and headed west to meet Irving Azoff to pursuit his music career (truck transformed into a horse in the video for special picture effect), during the journey he spent one week in Colorado mountain, finally arriving in Hollywood L.A. stayed in San Fernando Valley for months, then moved to Lookout Mountain, Laurel Canyon for 1 ½ years. Dan released his first album "Home Free" (1972), but he always missed his hometown Peoria, he wanted to return to Illinois River, that's the storyline for this video.
I would like to dedicate this song to my partner Mariaglenn (nick name River) because this video was inspired by her. Thank you Maria! Hope you like it. To all Dan fans, really appreciate your loyalty to Dan's music, hope you enjoy my video!
"The River" is from Dan Fogelberg's 1st album "Home Free" (Released 1972)
The River (Lyrics)
I was born by a river rolling past a town
Given no direction...just told to keep my head down
As I took my position, a man fired a gun
I was so steeped in tradition I could not run
I was raised by a river weaned upon the sky
And in the mirror of the waters I saw myself learn to cry
As the tears hit the surface I saw what had been done
I gave feet to my freedom and I did run
Someday later I saw the writing in the dust
It told me how I should travel
It told me who I was
I ran far from the river...far as I could see
And as the sun hit my shoulders, I felt it burning me
How I longed for the waters as the fire raged
How I longed for the river as I aged
I will die by a river as it rolls away
Bury me in the nighttime...do not waste the day
High above the waters that roll on to the sea
All the angels in heaven will laugh at me
They will laugh at me....they will laugh at me
They will laugh at me
My life was naught but a river rolling through my brain
Made of so many teardrops...made of so much pain