At The River

Album: Vertigo (1997)
Charted: 19
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This chill-out track is based around Patti Page's 1957 multi-tracked ode to the Massachusetts vacation haven "Old Cape Cod." The lines, "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air... Quaint little villages here and there," are repeated throughout the song.
  • This was Groove Armada's debut single, a limited edition 7" vinyl release in 1997. The song was later added to the track listing of the duo's second album, Vertigo. Re-released in July 1999, it peaked at #19 in the UK Singles Chart.
  • The song was used in an advert for UK clothing and food retail chain Marks & Spencer's as part of their Summer 2006 campaign. Groove Armada's Andy Cato recalled to NME in 2016: "That was unfortunate, but you know, some of these things slip through the net, don't they. I didn't notice at all because I don't live in the UK so I started getting text messages saying, 'delicious slice of buttery something-or-other with treacle' and I was thinking 'what's all this about?' and then finally cottoned on."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.