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"Watching the River Flow" is a song by Bob Dylan. It was written and recorded during sessions in spring 1971 at Blue Rock Studios in New York City, and produced by Leon Russell. The recording was issued as a single on June 3, 1971, backed with "Spanish is the Loving Tongue". It reached the Top 40 in a number of countries, and No. 41 in the USA. It was included on ''Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II'', released on November 17, 1971, and has appeared on various other Dylan compilation albums. Since 1987, Dylan has performed the composition often at his concerts. Critics have written that, in this song, Dylan sang about the temptation to withdraw from public life, and the problem of lack of inspiration. The song has been covered by artists including the Earl Scruggs Revue, Steve Gibbons, Colin James, and Russell himself. In 2011, musician Ben Waters released a version featuring five past and present members of the Rolling Stones as part of a tribute album for former Rolling Stones pianist Ian Stewart. ==Writing and recording== Between 1967 and 1970, Dylan recorded and released four albums that incorporated country rock elements: ''John Wesley Harding'', ''Nashville Skyline'', ''Self Portrait'', and ''New Morning''; all four were produced by Bob Johnston. At some point during the ''New Morning'' sessions, Dylan apparently decided that he did not want to work with Johnston anymore. For his next recording session, Dylan asked Leon Russell, who had made a name for himself through his work with Joe Cocker, to help him find a new sound. Russell suggested that Dylan come record with him at Blue Rock Studios in New York City.〔〔 It was the first time for Dylan to work with an independent producer, as opposed to an in-house Columbia one. The session took place on March 16–19, 1971. Russell assembled a musical backing group that included Carl Radle, Jesse Ed Davis, and Jim Keltner.〔 Dylan recorded a number of covers, among them "That Lucky Old Sun" and "Spanish Harlem",〔 as well as two originals: "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and "Watching the River Flow"—the final song put on tape at the session. Russell recalls that when developing the song, the basic track was recorded first, before any words or melody were written.〔 The track was based on in-studio jams done during the session.〔 The music of "Watching the River Flow" has been described by different critics as a "Blues-powered sound", "featur() some blistering guitar work... and rollicking piano work from Russell", and as "an energetic, funky-gospel rocker". Later during the session, Dylan wrote the lyrics and melody, which took him ten minutes.〔 Biographer Clinton Heylin notes that Dylan borrowed lines from "The Water is Wide" and "Old Man River" for the composition.〔 Four and a half months after the recording session, on August 1, Russell backed Dylan on bass during his set at the Concert for Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison. In November 1971, Russell accompanied Dylan into the studio again to record Dylan's next single, "George Jackson". At this session also, Russell played bass. Russell has not recorded with Dylan since, although they did tour together in 2011. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Watching the River Flow」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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