This recording was made not long after I moved to Los Angeles area from East Lansing Michigan in a small south bay recording studio. It was my first experience in recording one of my songs, and all in all very useful experience. However some things about the recording always bothered me... first of all, the tempo was too fast, and I did not like the EQ and mix on the drums and the harmonica. The harmonica part was rather boring as well. Decades later I was able to use features in Studio One v7 to regulate and slow the tempo, do some new track separation and mixing, and record the original and new acoustic guitar tracks. The recording now better captures the feelings I had when I wrote it on the California Zephyr train the first night out of Chicago. Thanks to the train conductor that loaned me his cool little fold up corner bench with lamp to write down the lyrics.
Lyrics
River of LIfe
by RF Schenck
The paint peels off the wall when I take those pictures down
inside the room that I have learned to call my home
I hear new voices call and it’s time to leave this town
set my soul out on the wind where it can roam
and it seems that all the folks I love are turning
onto roads I’ll only visit now and then
It’s time that I admitted to the yearning
that I pull out all the roots I’ve grown
shake ‘em down and start it all again
Rolling out of Union Station on a fast train to the West
I’ve just begun to realize what I have done
Left my baby crying on loading platform 28
and I’ve a feeling that she thinks I’m on the run
I can still feel all the wetness of her teardrops
as she held her tender face up next to mine
Oh my babe, I’m not running from your loving
but if I’m so young then tell me please
how come it feels I’m running out of time
The river of life always carries you along
the river of life doesn’t wait to hear your song
the river of life doesn’t wait
so move along
Well I don’t know where I’m going and I’ll tell you all quite plain
it’s got this singing boy a little insecure
but they’ll be a time a rising from the loneliness and pain
I don’t know when but of its coming I’m quite sure
and I’ll get myself together with my baby
or maybe make the painful change to “just old friends”
though it’s true that I don’t always like surprises
I’m kind of glad that I don’t really know
where I’ll be, who I’ll know
when I reach the end
The river of life always carries you along
the river of life doesn’t wait to hear your song
the river of life doesn’t wait
so move along