Moody River

Album

Moody River

Label

Dot Records

Genre

Country pop

Composer(s)

Gary D. Bruce

Entered Chart

May 1, 1961

Peak Date

Jun 19, 1961

Released

May 1961

Recorded

April 8, 1961 Studio Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California, U.S.

Catalog #

Dot 45-16209

B-Side

A Thousand Years

This is a teenage tragedy song about a boy who was supposed to meet his girlfriend next to the river, but finds out once he gets there she committed suicide. She left a note behind that she was cheating on him and could no longer live with the guilt. >> The country singer Chase Webster wrote this song (using the alias Gary Bruce) and was the first to record it, issuing his version in early 1961. Boone covered the song later that year, taking it to #1 in the US on June 19. Boone's producer, Randy Wood, had him sing in a higher key than usual to indicate the pain he was feeling in this song. According to Boone, he heard this song on the radio as he was driving home from the recording session. He producer brought a copy of the song over to the station, which put it right on the air, beating Boone home.

Moody river, moody river)

Moody river, more deadly than the vainest knife
Moody river, your muddy water took my baby's life

Last Saturday evenin' came to the old oak tree
It stands beside the river where you were to meet me
On the ground your glove I found
With a note addressed to me
It read "Dear love, I've done you wrong"
"Now I must set you free"
"No longer can I live with this hurt and this sin"
"I just couldn't tell you that guy was just a friend"

Moody river, more deadly than the vainest knife
Moody river, your muddy water took my baby's life

I looked into the muddy water and what could I see?
I saw a lonely, lonely face just lookin' back at me
Tears in his eyes and a prayer on his lips
And the glove of his lost love at his fingertips

Moody river, more deadly than the vainest knife
Moody river, your muddy water took my baby's life