Official studio version
There's a river runs through this valley, cold and deep and black
Coming like a tombstone shadow across my back
Trouble river, six foot high and rising
Trouble river, I can't keep from crying
Woke up last night shaking, shaking from a dream
All I seen was smiling faces staring back at me
Trouble river, six foot high and rising
Trouble river, I can't keep from crying
Snakes crawling in the house, I'm stuck in muddy ground
Tonight I'm gonna shed this skin 'cause water's rising and I'm going down to
Trouble river, six foot high and rising
Trouble river, I can't keep from crying
Yeahhh hoo!
Whao
Yeah baby oh yeah
Alright
Oh yeah
Oh yeahhh
Baby yeah yeah
Alright
Oh yeah, trouble river
Trouble river
Oh yeah, trouble river
Yeah
Trouble river
Ohhh
Ooh ooh yiii
Hoo-hoo hoo hoo
Alright
TROUBLE RIVER is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and first released on the 18 Tracks collection in 1999. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's official studio version of TROUBLE RIVER as released in 1999.
TROUBLE RIVER is one of three tracks on 18 Tracks that were not originally included on the Tracks box set.
There is a significant discrepancy between the lyrics for TROUBLE RIVER printed in the 18 Tracks album booklet and what Springsteen sings. The booklet has the line "Tonight I'm gonna shed this skin and I'll be breathin' free air now" but Springsteen actually sings "Tonight I'm gonna shed this skin 'cause water's rising and I'm going down to."
According to the 18 Tracks liner notes, TROUBLE RIVER was recorded on 06 Apr 1990 at Soundworks West in Los Angeles, CA. The song features Bruce Springsteen on guitar and vocals, Roy Bittan on keyboards, Randy Jackson on bass, and Jeff Porcaro on drums. It was recorded by Toby Scott, mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and produced by Bruce Springsteen, John Landau, and Chick Plotkin.
18 Tracks is a Bruce Springsteen compilation album released on Columbia Records in 1999. The album compiles 15 tracks from the Tracks box set, plus 3 previously unreleased recordings. The collection release was intended for the more casual fans who didn't purchase the pricey 4-disc box set. It also served the purpose as a promotional tie-in for the E Street Band's The Reunion Tour that was announced at the same time of the sampler's release.
18 Tracks was released on 13 Apr 1999 on Columbia Records. It features 18 Springsteen compositions and clocks at 71:12. The album was released on CD, cassette tape, MiniDisc, and vinyl.
Side 1:
| 1. | GROWIN' UP | Recorded on 03 May 1972 at CBS Studios, New York City, NY |
| 2. | SEASIDE BAR SONG | Recorded on 28 Jun 1973 at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, NY |
| 3. | RENDEZVOUS | Recorded live on 31 Dec 1980 at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY |
| 4. | HEARTS OF STONE | Recorded on 14 Oct 1977 at Record Plant, New York City, NY |
| 5. | WHERE THE BANDS ARE | Recorded on 09 Oct 1979 at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
Side 2:
| 1. | LOOSE ENDS | Recorded on 18 Jul 1979 at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
| 2. | I WANNA BE WITH YOU | Recorded on 31 May 1979at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
| 3. | BORN IN THE U.S.A. | Recorded in January 1982 at Thrill Hill Recording, Colts Neck, NJ |
| 4. | MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN | Recorded on 05 May 1982 at The Hit Factory, New York City, NY |
| 5. | LION'S DEN | Recorded on 25 Jan 1982 at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
Side 3:
| 1. | PINK CADILLAC | Recorded on 31 May 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York City, NY |
| 2. | JANEY, DON'T YOU LOSE HEART | Recorded on 16 Jun 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York City, NY |
| 3. | SAD EYES | Recorded on 25 Jan 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles, CA |
| 4. | PART MAN, PART MONKEY | Recorded in January 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles, CA |
| 5. | TROUBLE RIVER | Recorded on 06 Apr 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles, CA |
Side 4:
| 1. | BROTHERS UNDER THE BRIDGE | Recorded on 22 May 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, CA |
| 2. | THE FEVER | Recorded on 16 May 1973 at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, NY |
| 3. | THE PROMISE | Recorded on 12 Feb 1999 at Thrill Hill Recording, Colts Neck, NJ |
| 1. | GROWIN' UP | Recorded on 03 May 1972 at CBS Studios, New York City, NY |
| 2. | SEASIDE BAR SONG | Recorded on 28 Jun 1973 at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, NY |
| 3. | RENDEZVOUS | Recorded live on 31 Dec 1980 at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY |
| 4. | HEARTS OF STONE | Recorded on 14 Oct 1977 at Record Plant, New York City, NY |
| 5. | WHERE THE BANDS ARE | Recorded on 09 Oct 1979 at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
| 6. | LOOSE ENDS | Recorded on 18 Jul 1979 at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
| 7. | I WANNA BE WITH YOU | Recorded on 31 May 1979at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
| 8. | BORN IN THE U.S.A. | Recorded in January 1982 at Thrill Hill Recording, Colts Neck, NJ |
| 9. | MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN | Recorded on 05 May 1982 at The Hit Factory, New York City, NY |
| 10. | LION'S DEN | Recorded on 25 Jan 1982 at The Power Station, New York City, NY |
| 11. | PINK CADILLAC | Recorded on 31 May 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York City, NY |
| 12. | JANEY, DON'T YOU LOSE HEART | Recorded on 16 Jun 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York City, NY |
| 13. | SAD EYES | Recorded on 25 Jan 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles, CA |
| 14. | PART MAN, PART MONKEY | Recorded in January 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles, CA |
| 15. | TROUBLE RIVER | Recorded on 06 Apr 1990 at Soundworks West, Los Angeles, CA |
| 16. | BROTHERS UNDER THE BRIDGE | Recorded on 22 May 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, CA |
| 17. | THE FEVER | Recorded on 16 May 1973 at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, NY |
| 18. | THE PROMISE | Recorded on 12 Feb 1999 at Thrill Hill Recording, Colts Neck, NJ |
Prior to its release on 18 Tracks, a different mix of the official studio version of TROUBLE RIVER appeared on several bootlegs, including Human Demos (Flamingo Records) [track 04] and Deep Down In The Vaults (E. St. Records) [disc 3, track 01].
TROUBLE RIVER was performed once during what is known as The Reunion Tour (132 dates, April 1999 to July 2000), on 01 Sep 1999 in East Rutherford, NJ. The song was played in its full-band studio arrangement but preceded by a guitar and percussion coda. See the live 01 Aug 1999 version for more details.
TROUBLE RIVER was sound-checked prior to the 19 Aug 2009 show in Hartford, CT, (as far as it's known) but it was not performed on any of the Working On A Dream Tour's regular shows.
As far as it's known, no artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's TROUBLE RIVER.
List of available versions of TROUBLE RIVER on this website:
TROUBLE RIVER [Official studio version]
