"River" is a song by British singer-songwriter
Bishop Briggs
Sarah Grace McLaughlin (born 18 July 1992), known professionally as Bishop Briggs, is a British singer and songwriter. Her single "River" peaked at number three on the US Alternative Chart. It was included on her debut album, '' Church of Sca ...
, released on 22 January 2016 through Teleport Records and
Island Records. Initially, it was released on the artist's
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming s ...
.
It is the second single released on
Briggs's debut album ''
Church of Scars''.
The song became a hit and reached top 10 on three different
''Billboard'' charts as well as number one on the
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
US Viral 50.
Background
The song is about a strained relationship that is on the edge of failure.
Bishop Briggs stated that the lyrics of the song “was all about the tension…My hope with that song is it makes people feel empowered
otake things into their own hands. I always have the visual, especially when I was writing it, to go up to someone's face and egg them on, and ask them to push you to your limits. I think there is something strong and exciting about that."
Composition
The song starts with "a whipping
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...
", before it "
transitions into an explosive
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
highlighting Briggs's fierce, soulful-rocker vocals".
''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'' felt that the song was "seemingly birthed by
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...
es off the
Bayou, bearing
handclaps
A clap is the percussive sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see applause), b ...
like reddening thigh slaps and boasting a topline that allows Bishop to truly exercise her
range
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
."
Music video
The music video was directed by Jungle George.
Bishop Briggs stated the video was "about embracing my inner demons and setting them loose."
It begins with an opening shot of Bishop Briggs sinking in water.
In the video, there is a scene where she
convulses and another where she is wearing a bag over her head.
Critical reception
''
Brooklyn Magazine
''Brooklyn Magazine'' is an online news magazine, focusing on "New York’s most populous borough through the lens of culture, community, commerce, arts and leisure." The company was bought by Michael Bassik and the website was launched in Decembe ...
'' wrote it is “an explosive track with the potential to be a massive radio hit. It will leave you feeling empowered with surging bass and skyward vocals.”
in ''Life & News'' wrote, “Simple. Space. Repetition. Straight to the point… It’s not a song that goes into my
iTunes after hearing it even for the third time. But there’s a lot to appreciate about this cut.”
''Hooligan Magazine'' wrote, “Parts of this track suck the air right out of the room, but Briggs never fails to throw us right back into the mix with her smooth guitar playing and slick voice. “River” has something for everybody.”
Live performances
In her television debut, Bishop Briggs performed the song on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
'' on August 1, 2016.
Cover versions
In live shows starting in 2017,
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
has frequently covered "River."
She did so on some stops of her 2018–2019
Beautiful Trauma World Tour, including on her live album ''
All I Know So Far: Setlist''.
Covered constantly on reality competition shows.
Charts
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Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Reflist
2016 singles
2016 songs
Island Records singles
Songs about rivers