Let The River Run

Album: Working Girl Soundtrack (1988)
Charted: 49
Play Video
  • We're coming to the edge
    Running on the water
    Coming through the fog
    Your sons and daughters

    Let the river run
    Let all the dreamers
    Wake the nation
    Come, the New Jerusalem

    Silver cities rise
    The morning lights
    The streets that meet them
    And sirens call them on
    With a song

    It's asking for the taking
    Trembling, shaking
    Oh, my heart is aching

    We're coming to the edge
    Running on the water
    Coming through the fog
    Your sons and daughters

    We the great and small
    Stand on a star
    And blaze a trail of desire
    Through the dark'ning dawn

    It's asking for the taking
    Come run with me now
    The sky is the color of blue
    You've never even seen
    In the eyes of your lover

    Oh, my heart is aching
    We're coming to the edge
    Running on the water
    Coming through the fog
    Your sons and daughters

    It's asking for the taking
    Trembling, shaking
    Oh, my heart is aching
    We're coming to the edge
    Running on the water
    Coming through the fog
    Your sons and daughters

    Let the river run (let the river run)
    Let all the dreamers (let all the dreamers)
    Wake the nation (wake the nation)
    Come, the New Jerusalem Writer/s: Carly Simon
    Publisher: FOX MUSIC, INC., Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Ruth from MinnesotaWho was the guy playing guitar in the video?
  • Scott Rowland from Cypress, TexasThe lyrics have a context separate from the context of the movie, if I am allowed to read into them my own thoughts, and then insert that interpretation into the film context, It should be fun, and, if you agree, accurate. "Coming out of a fog and to the edge..." returning of righteous to the bosom of Jehovah. "Coming to the edge..." approaching risk with a keen excited state of being in danger. Running on the water-- the messiah walked on water so the rightous are now in possesion of god like powers.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 29th 1989, at the 61st Academy Awards ceremonies "Let the River Run" won the Oscar for 'Best Original Song'*...
    * The other two nominees were "Two Hearts" from the movie 'Buster' and "Calling You" from the film 'Bagdad Cafe'.
  • Camille from Toronto, OhThis was the first of only two songs to have won an Oscar, Golden Globe, and Grammy while being composed and written, as well as performed, entirely by a single artist (the other being "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen from Philadelphia).
  • Camille from Toronto, OhThe song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989.
  • Camille from Toronto, OhHey, how does Carly Simon manage to look so incredibly sexy dressed in a black coat that completely covers her up. You clearly see the Twin Towers behind on the New York lower Manhattan skyline.
  • Robin from Bolton, United KingdomOn Carly's website, it says that she found inspiration for the lyrics by first reading the original script, and then by the poems of Walt Whitman. Musically, she wanted to write a hymn to New York with a contemporary jungle beat under it, so as to juxtapose those opposites in a compelling way.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.