Ilinois River - "The River" - Peoria, IL
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 40° 44.497 W 089° 33.494
16T E 283999 N 4513223
No doubt Dan Fogelberg was thinking of the mighty Illinois River when he wrote this song, since he grew up in Peoria.
Waymark Code: WMJ69A
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/30/2013
Views: 4
In Peoria, along Grand View Drive, is a location with a bench dedicated to Dan Fogelberg over looking the Illinois River that is a perfect location to immortalize his song, The River.
Grand View Drive is a scenic residential road that climbs the edge of the great bluff that bracket the Illinois River. The location is near the intersection with Farview Lane, by a lookout. There is bench there, with a plaque that has a picture of Fogelberg and text stating that the bench is dedicated to him.
The view is of the Illinois River at the upper Peoria Lake, which is where the river is particularly wide. The river runs very slowly here. Often, barges pushed by tugboats are visible navigating the waters.
The song, The River, is out of his 1972 album, Home Free (1972). It wasn't a released single as far as I know. A verse specifically about the river is as follows:
"The River
I was born by a river rolling past a town
Given no direction...just told to keep my head down
As I took my position,a man fired a gun
I was so steeped in tradition I could not run
I was raised by a river weaned upon the sky
And in the mirror of the waters I saw myself learn to cry
As the tears hit the surface I saw what had been done
I gave feet to my freedom and I did run
..."
The song has a bittersweet tone to it and ends referencing tears and pain.
Dan Fogelberg was born and raised in Peoria, a city of about 100,000. He graduated from Woodruff High School in the city. The river is a major part of Peoria. It is a water road for commerce as well as recreation.
DanFogelberg.com (Lyrics)
(
visit link)