Leon Bridges is receiving raves for his new neo-soul album Coming Home.  In an increasingly-crowded field, Bridges stands out with his Sam Cooke-stylings and his thoughtful, evocative lyrics.  Today La Blogothèque gives us a unique glimpse of Bridges (with acoustic guitar and sweet singers) performing his song River in a cafe in Paris next to the Seine River.  The song is surely an homage lyrically to Al Green’s Take Me To The River, though the river metaphor runs deep in the genre.  Check it out.  Gospel beauty right there.

River:

“Been traveling these wide roads for so long
My heart’s been far from you
Ten-thousand miles gone

Oh, I wanna come near and give ya
Every part of me
But there is blood on my hands
And my lips aren’t clean

In my darkness I remember
Momma’s words reoccur to me
‘Surrender to the good Lord
And he’ll wipe your slate clean’

Take me to your river
I wanna go
Oh, go on
Take me to your river
I wanna know

Dip me in your smooth waters
I go in
As a man with many crimes
Come up for air
As my sins flow down the Jordan

Oh, I wanna come near and give ya
Every part of me
But there is blood on my hands
And my lips aren’t clean

Take me to your river
I wanna go
Go on,
Take me to your river
I wanna know

I wanna go, wanna go, wanna go
I wanna know, wanna know, wanna know
Wanna go, wanna go, wanna go
Wanna know, wanna know, wanna know
Wanna go, wanna go, wanna go
Wanna know, wanna know, wanna know

Take me to your river
I wanna go
Lord, please let me know
Take me to your river
I wanna know”