The River

"The River" is a poem written by Bruce Springsteen about a man and his wife who seem to feel trapped in the life that God has laid out for them. It starts like a love story about the narrator (husband) and his wife Mary when they met in high school their love was passionate and exciting. The flame burning between the two of them seems to be the only exciting thing in his life because he comes from a working class city where the only life waiting for you was the one your father lived. I have always felt this poem was set in a Pennsylvania steel town where if you could not get out on football or some other type of scholarship you would spend the rest of your days working for the mill. "They bring you up to do; Like your daddy done." This lays out clearly that he does not believe there is anything else out there for him but his father's lifestyle of construction worker in middle america.

Like most of Springsteen's poems/songs he is singing to and about middle class; working america the type of lifestyle he grew up with in New Jersey. as he writes this song in 1980 it is right around the time where gas is up, terriorists have 100+ captive citizens from our embassy, and our economy is much like it is today. he writes this saying we are Americans we are tough. Clearly the narrator of this song is tough because he lives a life that he hates with a wife that can not stand him anymore. That passion; the fire that drove those two together late at nights on the river bank is gone and all that is left is haunting memories and resentment. When he writes "Mary Acts like she dont care" it is clear that as time has passed they have split farther and farther apart with it seems no way to reconcile.

He remembers the old days throughout the last third of the song how good Mary looked with her body wet and tan at the resovior. The passion that drove them to the river is gone now and all that is left is him alone in his car as the memories haunt him like a curse. the very last stanza of the song is a message of hope though because even though the river is dry Him and his baby are going to ride down to the river. This could mean he is trying to respark that flame with Mary or that he wants to show his daughter that there was once love here and not to make the same mistake as them.

I think this song was Bruce's first big hit because it spoke to most of america. It did not matter if you where rich, poor, young, old if you knew what it was like to be in love, to fall out of love, or even to have a job you hate then this song speaks to you and lets you know you are not the only one. We all have struggles in our life the real sign of manhood or courage is pulling through those struggles and not let them bring you down.