10 Best Rock Music Album Closers Of The 1980s
4. The River - Bruce Springsteen (The River)
This one might be cheating a bit, but it was too good to leave off.
Falling somewhere between Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born in the USA, The River can sometimes be overlooked in the grand scheme of Bruce Springsteen's long career. Don't sleep on it thought.
As a double album, The River technically has two closing tracks. The final song on the second side of the second disc is Wreck on the Highway, which you could call the true ending of the record. However, it's not The River, is it?
The song from which the album takes its name, The River is a classic Springsteen tale of bittersweet tragedy in working class America. It tells the tale of a teenager and his girlfriend Mary, who are at first young, free, and happy. Then, one accidental pregnancy later, their worlds get turned upside down.
Springsteen's concise storytelling and authentic vocal style embeds the listener deeply into this world of heartland struggles. A tearjerker to end all tearjerkers, The River is one of The Boss' best ever closing tracks, even if it does come with an asterisk.