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Follow The River

from Orphans and Singles by John Pippus

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    A slow and steady groove. Borrowing from the gospel or spiritual tradition.
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about

We were walking along the Red River in St. Vital - a suburb of Winnipeg - this past summer. My wife Pam and I were there for two weeks doing my play, "Oh Winnipeg!" at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

We were talking about what makes a good spiritual song. I mentioned Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" as an example. At one point, Pam looked up and said, "I hope we can find our way home again." We were being billeted at a house in an area that was new to us.

I said, "We can't go wrong if we follow the river. It'll lead us back home." Bingo. "That'll make a good lyric for a song," I said.

When we got back to Vancouver, I started with that lyric for the chorus and wrote the rest of the song around it. It didn't take long. I love it when that happens.

lyrics

Down in the city there’s a whole world waiting
Lives that run on fumes
Whiskey and women and the talk of strangers
Filling up the room

The road is full of twists and turns
People who will steer you wrong
Not always easy to find your way
And feel like you belong

You can’t go wrong
When you follow the river
Follow the river home
You can’t go wrong
When you follow the river
You’re never going to be alone

I lost sight of what was right
Common decency
Helping your brother
When this big old world
Has brought him to his knees

This life is full of twists and turns
People who will lead you astray
So don’t ignore that outstretched hand
It might be you one day

You can’t go wrong…

Maybe you’re standing in a welfare line
I’ve been down there too
Waiting for someone to give you a handout
Tell you what to do

The road is full of twists and turns
People who will steer you wrong
Not always easy to find your way
And feel like you belong

You can’t go wrong…

© 2010 John Pippus

credits

from Orphans and Singles, released October 1, 2010
Words and music: John Pippus
Vocal and guitar: John Pippus
Production: Adam Bailie

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all rights reserved

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John Pippus Vancouver

"Reminiscent and harkening in spirit, in some ways, to Neil Young’s classic “Harvest,” Pippus and friends have made something much richer in tone and certainly more fitting for 2022.”

-Review of “Hermosa Star”, Great Dark Wonder ... more

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