Five Song Prompt
Wild and Melodious: River Songs are Soul Songs
SIng to her, let the river answer…
Something melodious and wild calls me to rivers. They sing as they wind and splash on their way to the sea. Something about a river touches the human soul, and we respond, often in song.
The river songs remind me of a conversation, especially Suzanne by Leonard Cohen. The river is a great listener. She asks nothing in return, appreciating the attention.
But a river, being wild and powerful, has a mind of her own. So if you speak to her, and invite her in, don’t be surprised if she answers. Leonard did. And the true trickster river promised his heart just as he was about to deny it. So, yes, talk to a river, sing to a river, but don’t be surprised when she answers…
A river is such a good listener, he’ll carry the weight of the world laying heavy on our shoulders, if we let him. Paul Robeson’s character, Joe, in Hammerstein and Kerr’s 1930s era musical Showboat, is a great example.
The Mississippi is more than a river, he’s an Old Man. A river carrying barges full of cotton works hard like the field hands and farmers on its banks and beyond. Joe found a kindred spirit to listen to his lament and carry some of the pain in his weary heart. We can hear that pain plainly in the song.
If the Old Man answers, it’s not always with words. It’s with his nature as steadfast and unflinching in the face of trouble. He just keeps rolling, just keeps rolling…and that consistency can be a comfort…when life on shore is tough and mean.
Speaking of rolling, a river’s nature is to roll, move, flow, and rush to the sea. Ike and Tina sing of the life working on a river at a much faster tempo than Robeson.
Of course, one part of the reason is they never do anything nice and easy. And the other part is, they want us to get up and dance. So maybe Proud Mary is a party boat.
Actually, Proud Mary was a real boat with a fascinating history, fascinatingly told by Memphis historian, Jimmy Ogle right here:
The legendary Proud Mary, AKA, the Queen Mother of Memphis Towboarts, started her life in 1905 as the Ossining. She ferried prisoners up the river from the NYC jail to Sing-Sing State Prison, giving birth to the expression, being sent up the river. Her illustrious career included ferrying mail, cars, and cattle on Lake Pontchartrain, the Mississippi, and later in the Memphis, Tennessee area.
Like a cat with nine lives, the Mary Elizabeth was resurrected and re-commissioned many times. The last attempt made by the Proud Mary Restoration Inc, in 1987 inspired the title to the song written by one of her deckhands.
Proud Mary, made famous by Creedence Clearwater Revival, was covered by many artists and finally renamed Rolling on the River by Ike and Tina, who added their unique spin on the Big Wheel. So forgive me for putting both versions here. Take your pick.
Some rivers are real, some are metaphorical. Joni Mitchell sings her song of sorrow and regrets over mistreating a lover in River. Hauntingly lyrical and powerfully emotive, which Joni is known for, this song takes us to the place in her wrenching heart that she’s in a big hurry to escape.
But not in a jet plane way. The image of her blading her way on a pair of silver skates, bundled against the Christmas cold, is powerfully grooved in our minds as we listen. Besides, it’s on the album cover, too. And here for you to enjoy, as we congratulate Ms. Mitchell on her 75th year:
Fifty years ago, the industrial waste-filled Cuyahoga River that winds through Cleveland, Ohio, caught on fire. Yes, you read that right. A river caught on fire. When a train passed on a trestle overhead, sparks from the wheels grinding against the rail flew down and hit an oil slick.
Randy Newman, the song satirist, memorialized the event in his song, Burn On. You may remember it. Do you also remember that Time Magazine’s coverage of the disaster led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a renewed ecological consciousness in the United States? Who knew what the hot combo of fire and water can do when sparks fly, right? Give a listen…
There you have it, five river songs each with a compelling story. Speaking of stories, I leave you with a river poem of mine, inspired by fellow Medium poet, Priyanka Srivastava’s poem, I Like a Poem Wait for It. What river haunts your dreams?
Silver Ribboned River
A silver-ribboned rivered city visits me in my dreams Paris? Venice? Milwaukee? Bundled against the cold, I prowl the promenade Breathing in the river, breathing in the coffee Tempting me inside from every widened door But the river calls, her long rolling song lures me along beside her She’s lonely in the cold November air, whipping against the wharf, Looking for a friend. I search my pockets for something to share What might a lonely river with a silver ribbon in her hair Want from a fickle fool like me? I draw a blank, release a sigh, which suspends for a moment in its own little cloud. I think of Leonard Cohen’s song, Suzanne, who takes me down To a place by a river…and I sing…to the river… Who falls silent, content to let the wind answer.
Thank you Rasheed Hooda for creating the 5 song prompt:
Marilyn Flower writes political humor and satire to delight socially and spiritually conscious folks. She’s a regular columnist for the prison newsletter, Freedom Anywhere, where she writes about faith and prayer. Five of her short plays have been produced in San Francisco. Clowning and improvisation strengthen her resolve during these crazy times.
