Brilliant. Just wonderful

This song has a fantastic sound, and honestly, Bruce's voice is enough for this!! The lyrics are about working class America, the troubles of making bad choices -with pregnancy and early marriage as a result ruining dreams of a pair of high school sweethearts who might have had much more otherwise. It shows the regret of looking back through the past, "I just pretend I don't remember, and Mary acts like she don't care". Working class America comes through strongly in most of Bruce's songs, and this one is no different. The economy being poor, other indications of stress on a relationship.. Bruce's facial and body language is also great- showing the anger at the futility he (as the person telling his story in the song) feels at the options that had been left to him so long ago. The song, it's a great one.
-dovetrees

It would be nice if we could hear the words more clearly and not be too-- distracted by all the actions/movements that Bruce does. S.

One of the first Bruce records I heard and really appreciated. My brother had a 12" of it with Rosy on the other side, can't remember the third track, he probably still has it somewhere!
Heard Bruce play this in Manchester about 6 years ago - a w e s o m e !!!

fist time he played the river live and to me it is the greatest version ever of the song.
madison quare garden nyc 1980 muse concert, oyt