Help name songs written about the James River

I’ve been thinking about music recently, and got me to thinking about what songs have been written about the James River in Richmond. I’m sure there are many, but there is one I stumbled upon while going through my old pile of CDs. I’m considering including information about songs written about or containing lyrics about the […]

May 19, 2011; 6:59 AM • by Phil Riggan

I’ve been thinking about music recently, and got me to thinking about what songs have been written about the James River in Richmond. I’m sure there are many, but there is one I stumbled upon while going through my old pile of CDs.

I’m considering including information about songs written about or containing lyrics about the James River in the upcoming James River Guidebook, and at least I’ve found one.

I missed the band Cracker when they came through Richmond for Groovin in the Garden in early May. It’s been 10 years at least, but I have seen them before – last time was at The Floodzone I think — and love the quirky fun and energy the band used to bring in their recordings and live shows.

Cracker has a song called “James River” off the 1998 album Gentleman’s Blues. I can’t say I love the slow pace of the song, though I’ve always been a fan of David Lowery for many reasons. He was the frontman for Camper Van Beethoven, an off-beat and odd band in the late 1980s and early 90s.

Lowery became the singer for Cracker in the early 90s and lived in Oregon Hill for a few years, which I would assume is what lead him to write that song. I used to have a radio show on WDCE 90.1 FM at the University of Richmond and it would have been a rare show that didn’t have a song from Cracker or Camper Van Beethoven somewhere in the mix.

There is an interesting blog that appears to be written by David Lowery, and it details this song and his years in Richmond. Here are most of the lyrics from the song “James River:”

You come across the James River
For a needle, and a spoon
But would you come across the James River
To be my woman again
To be my woman again

You come across the old Lee Bridge
For a dollar fifty in change
But would you come across the James River
For this heart of gold?
For this heart of gold?

You go to work for Ms. Kitty
For a decent rate of pay
But would you come across the James River
To be my woman again?
To be my woman again?

You keep a pistol in your left boot
A brush and comb in your purse
But would you come across the James River
To be my woman again?
To be my woman again?

May 19, 2011 6:59 AM 0