Watching the River Flow

Infobox Single
Name = Watching the River Flow

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Artist = Bob Dylan
Album = Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
A-side = Watching the River Flow
B-side = Spanish is the Loving Tongue
Released = June 3, 1971
Format = 7"
Genre = Blues
Recorded = Blue Rock Studios, New York City: March 16-19, 1971
Length = 3:34
Label = Columbia
Writer = Bob Dylan
Producer = Bob Johnston and Leon Russell
Chronology = Bob Dylan discography
Last single = Wigwam, 1970
This single = Watching the River Flow, 1971
Next single = If Not For You, 1971

"Watching the River Flow"" is a blues song by Bob Dylan that was first released as an independent single. The single appeared during a two-year period, 1971-72, in which there was only one other wholly new song that Dylan wrote, recorded and released, that being the protest song, "George Jackson." (See the main article, Bob Dylan, and the Bob Dylan discography for details.) As such, "Watching the River Flow," is interesting for the way in which it captures Dylan's own observations of his sense of detachment and listlessness.

The song begins:

::What's the matter with me, ::I don't have much to say, ::Daylight sneakin' through the window::And I'm still in this all-night cafe...

And later Dylan goes on to confess:

::If I had wings and I could fly, ::I know where I would go.::But right now I'll just sit here so contentedly ::And watch the river flow. [ [http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/riverflow.html|"Watching the River Flow" lyrics on BobDylan.com] ]

"Watching the River Flow" was recorded during the March 16-19 sessions at the Blue Rock Studios in New York city and was produced by Bob Johnston and Leon Russell. The recording was first issued as a single (Columbia 4-45409) on June 3, 1971, backed with "Spanish is the Loving Tongue" (a traditional song). The single reached #41 in the US charts and #24 in the UK. It was included on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II double LP album compilation, which was released on November 17 of the same year. [ [http://www.bjorner.com/DSN01885%201971.htm#DSN01980|"Still on the Road: the Bob Dylan Recording Sessions," 1971] ]

Personnel

*Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar & harmonica)
*Leon Russell (piano)
*Jesse Ed Davis (guitar)
*Don Preston %28guitarist%29 (guitar)
*Carl Radle (called Charlie Radle on the session notes) (bass)
*Jim Keltner (drums) [ [http://www.bjorner.com/DSN01885%201971.htm#DSN01980|"Still on the Road: the Bob Dylan Recording Sessions," 1971] ]

Produced by Bob Johnston and Leon Russell [ [http://www.bjorner.com/DSN01885%201971.htm#DSN01980|"Still on the Road: the Bob Dylan Recording Sessions," 1971] ]

References