Songwriter: Emmylou Harris

Producer: George Massenburg Linda Ronstadt

Written by Emmylou Harris
Copyright 1987 Sorghum Music (ASCAP)

I crossed on the river
There'll be no returning
I crossed all the bridges
I watched them all burning
And now I'm a stranger
To a strange land I'm driven
Where all is forgotten
And nothing's forgiven

But I cried a river
A river for him
That's deeper and wider
Than I'll ever swim
The heart it will harden
The sorrow will dim
But I cried a river
A river for him

I think of him now
On the road I am taking
And wonder how long
His heart will be breaking
But he'll never hear when
The teardrops are falling
Or the sound of my voice
Or the name I am calling

But I cried a river
A river for him
That's deeper and wider
Than I'll ever swim
The heart it will harden
The sorrow will dim
But I cried a river
A river for him

So weep for the sons
And the dear darling daughters
For the passing of time
And the parting of waters
For all who have passed through
This world long before me
To a far distant shore line
Where no one waits for me

But I cried a river
A river for him
That's deeper and wider
Than I'll ever swim
The heart it will harden
The sorrow will dim
But I cried a river
A river for him

---------------------------------------------------------
GUITARS: Dean Parks
DRUMS: Russ Kunkel
BASS: Leland Sklar
ACOUSTIC PIANO AND SYNTHESIZER: Robbie Buchanan
GLASS ARMONICA: Dennis James
BASS AND ALTO FLUTE: Jon Clarke
ALL BACKGROUND VOCALS: Linda Ronstadt
ORCHESTRA ARRANGED AND CONDUCTED BY David Campbell

Linda Ronstadt

A multiplatinum-selling recording artist and a true icon in American music, Linda Ronstadt redefined folk rock with her diverse fusion in genres and powerful vocals.

She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014 and has earned a wide range of nominations, spanning from a Tony Award and a Golden Globe Award. She has charted 38 Billboard Hot 100 singles with 21 of them reaching the top 40. Having collaborated with several artists in many genres, Ronstadt has lent her vocals to over 120 albums and has sold more than 100 million records.

Her last live concert in 2009, marked the end of her career when she retired in 2011, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and unable to perform.