In 1973, Springsteen released his first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, neither of which earned him a large audience. He changed his style and reached worldwide popularity with Born to Run in 1975. It was followed by Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and The River (1980), which topped the US Billboard 200 chart. After the solo recording, Nebraska (1982), he reunited with the E Street Band for Born in the U.S.A. (1984), his most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums of all time. Seven of its singles reached the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, including the title track. Springsteen recorded his next three albums, Tunnel of Love (1987), Human Touch (1992), and Lucky Town (1992) using mostly session musicians. He reassembled the E Street Band for 1995's Greatest Hits, then recorded the sparse acoustic The Ghost of Tom Joad, followed by the EP Blood Brothers (1996), his last release of the decade.
Springsteen dedicated his 2002 album The Rising to the victims of the September 11 attacks. He released two more folk albums, Devils & Dust (2005) and We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006), followed by two more albums with the E Street Band: Magic (2007) and Working on a Dream (2009). The next two, Wrecking Ball (2012) and High Hopes (2014), topped album charts worldwide. His latest releases include the solo Western Stars (2019), the E Street Band-featuring Letter to You (2020) and a solo cover album Only the Strong Survive (2022). When Letter to You went to No.2 in the US, Springsteen became the first artist to score a Top Five hit across six consecutive decades.
Among the album era's prominent acts, Springsteen has sold more than 140 million records worldwide and more than 71 million in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award (for Springsteen on Broadway). Springsteen was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016. He ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone's list of the Greatest Artists of All Time, which described him as being "the embodiment of rock & roll".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Springsteen
Studio albums
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)
Born to Run (1975)
Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
The River (1980)
Nebraska (1982)
Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Tunnel of Love (1987)
Human Touch (1992)
Lucky Town (1992)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)
The Rising (2002)
Devils & Dust (2005)
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)
Magic (2007)
Working on a Dream (2009)
Wrecking Ball (2012)
High Hopes (2014)
Western Stars (2019)
Letter to You (2020)
Only the Strong Survive (2022)
Trouble River
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cold and deep and black
Comin' like a tombstone shadow across my back
Trouble river, six foot high and risin'
Trouble river, I can't keep from cryin'
I woke up last night shakin'
All I've seen was smiling faces staring back at me
Trouble river, six foot high and risin'
Trouble river, I can't keep from cryin'
Snakes crawling in the hi house
I'm stuck in muddy ground
Tonight I'm gonna shed this skin
'Cause horizon is risin'
And I'm goin' down in
Trouble river, six foot high and risin
Trouble river, I can't keep from cryin'
Trouble river
Trouble river
Trouble river
Trouble river
The Springsteen's song Trouble River is a reflection of the struggles of the working class people in America. The river being referenced symbolizes the hardships and difficulties that the singer faces throughout his life. The river is described as cold, deep, and black, which represents a sense of hopelessness and despair. The tombstone shadow that crosses his back signifies the weight of his problems that seem to follow him wherever he goes.
The lyrics express a sense of fear and anxiety that the singer feels towards this river. He describes the river as being six feet high and rising, which suggests that his problems are getting worse and he can't seem to escape them. Furthermore, the line "I woke up last night shakin'" highlights the emotional turmoil that he is going through because of his struggles. He's also haunted by smiling faces staring back at him, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the pressure to put on a brave face and pretend that everything is okay.
The singer is also in a difficult situation, the snakes crawling in the hi house, and he's stuck in muddy ground, which can represent his current living and working conditions. The horizon is rising, but he's still afraid and sinking in this troubled river of life. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "trouble river" four times, emphasizing the theme of the song and the unrelenting nature of the singer's hardships.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a river runs through this valley
The valley has a river that flows through it.
Cold and deep and black
The river is dark in color and is deep and cold.
Comin' like a tombstone shadow across my back
The river's presence is ominous and feels like a burden to the singer.
Trouble river, six foot high and risin'
The river is causing trouble and is rising to a height of six feet.
Trouble river, I can't keep from cryin'
The artist is overwhelmed with emotion and can't help but cry due to the river's consequences.
I woke up last night shakin'
The singer had an unsettling experience that led to them waking up feeling shaken.
Shakin' from a dream
The singer had a bad dream that caused them to feel shaken.
All I've seen was smiling faces staring back at me
In the artist's dream, they saw people smiling at them, but the smiles felt insincere and haunting.
Snakes crawling in the hi house
There are snakes crawling around in the artist's house, which is causing them distress.
I'm stuck in muddy ground
The artist is feeling trapped and unable to move forward in their current situation.
Tonight I'm gonna shed this skin
The singer is planning to shed their current self and start anew.
'Cause horizon is risin'
The artist is seeing a new opportunity or change on the horizon, and they feel compelled to embrace it.
And I'm goin' down in
The singer is going down a new path, most likely associated with the new opportunity or change they see on the horizon.
Trouble river, six foot high and risin
The river continues to cause trouble and is still rising in height.
Trouble river, I can't keep from cryin'
The singer is still overwhelmed by the river and is still crying as a result.
Trouble river
The river continues to cause trouble for the artist.
Trouble river
The river is a recurring issue in the artist's life.
Trouble river
The river is a source of constant stress and worry for the singer.
Trouble river
The river serves as a metaphor for the difficulties and obstacles that the singer faces.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind