Too Many Rivers

Brenda Lee recorded "Too Many Rivers" in a January 29, 1964 recording session at Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville, TN overseen by producer Owen Bradley. The song was not released until May 1965 and then as the B-side of the single "No One": however airplay favored "Too Many Rivers" which entered the Hot 100 in Billboard dated May 29, 1965 at #96 besting the #98 debut of "No One" which then dropped off the chart while "Too Many Rivers" ascended to a #13 peak on the Hot 100 dated July 13, 1965. "Too Many Rivers" also reached #22 on the UK chart, affording Lee her final UK hit.

Other versions

The first evident release of "Too Many Rivers" had been a single release for C&W singer Claude Gray whose version had also been recorded at Columbia Recording Studio Nashville, its session occurring on September 17, 1964. Subsequent to the Pop chart success of the Brenda Lee version, "Too Many Rivers" was recorded for albums (title in parenthesis) by a large number of C&W artists: Eddy Arnold (My World/ 1965), Margie Singleton (Crying Time/ 1965), Kitty Wells (Country All the Way/ 1966), Liz Anderson (...Sings/ 1967), Connie Smith (Back in Baby's Arms/ 1969), Jessi Colter (A Country Star is Born/ 1970), Ray Price (You Wouldn't Know Love/ 1970), The Statler Brothers (...Sing Country Symphonies In E Major/ 1972), Johnny Rodriguez (Just Get Up & Close the Door/ 1975) Sonny James (Sunny side Up/ 1979), Jean Shepard (Dear John/ 1981). Also "Too Many Rivers" was recorded by Anita Carter in a 19 July 1968 recording session at RCA Victor Studio in Nashville TN produced by Bob Montgomery, with the track being issued as the B-side of the single "To Be a Child Again". However "Too Many Rivers" did not become a C&W hit until 1987 when the Forester Sisters' version from their You Again album was issued as an advance single to reach #5 on the Billboard C&W chart.^[1]

Veteran UK vocalist Vera Lynn remade "Too Many Rivers" for her 1977 album release ...Sings which album - featuring the Geoff Love Orchestra and the Jordanaires chorale - was produced by Owen Bradley the producer of Brenda Lee's "Too Many Rivers" single: credited to Vera Lynn With The Jordanaires, "Too Many Rivers" had a September 30, 1977 UK single release. "Too Many Rivers" has also been recorded by Joe Simon (Simon Pure Soul/ 1966), Jerry Lee Lewis (Who's Gonna Play This Old Piano?/ 1972), Marie Osmond (Paper Roses/ 1973), Webb Wilder & the Nashvegans (Town & Country/ 1995), and Annette Klingenberg (da) (Weep No More/ 1998). The Finnish rendering "Niin Monta Virtaa" was recorded by Katri Helena for her 1975 album Paloma Blanca.

Chart performance

Brenda Lee

Chart (1965)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	13
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks	2

The Forester Sisters

Chart (1987)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	5
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	4

References

↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 125.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Brenda Lee

Albums	Grandma, What Great Songs You Sang! Brenda Lee This Is...Brenda Emotions All the Way Sincerely, Brenda Lee All Alone Am I ..."Let Me Sing" Brenda, That's All Gospel Duets with Treasured Friends

Other albums	The Winning Hand

Singles	"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" "One Step at a Time" "Let's Jump the Broomstick" "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" "Sweet Nothin's" "That's All You Gotta Do" "I'm Sorry" "I Want to Be Wanted" "Emotions" "You Can Depend on Me" "Dum Dum" "Fool #1 "Break It to Me Gently" "Speak to Me Pretty" "Everybody Loves Me But You" "Here Comes That Feeling" "Heart in Hand" "It Started All Over Again" "All Alone Am I" "Your Used to Be" "She'll Never Know" "Losing You" "I Wonder" "My Whole World Is Falling Down" "The Grass Is Greener" "As Usual" "Think" "Alone with You" "When You Loved Me" "Truly, Truly True" "Is It True" "Jingle Bell Rock" "Too Many Rivers" "Rusty Bells" "Coming on Strong" "Johnny One Time" "Let It Be Me" "Always on My Mind" "Sunday Sunrise" "Wrong Ideas" "Big Four Poster Bed" "Rock on Baby" "He's My Rock" "Tell Me What It's Like" "The Cowgirl and the Dandy" "Broken Trust"

Other singles	"Hallelujah, I Love You So" "America the Beautiful"

Songs	"Fly Me to the Moon" "The Letter" "Our Day Will Come"

Related topics	Discography Connie Francis Skeeter Davis Ricky Nelson Lesley Gore Red Foley Muruga Booker

Book:Brenda Lee

The Forester Sisters

Christy Forester June Forester Kathy Forester Kim Forester

Studio albums	The Forester Sisters Talkin' 'Bout Men

Notable singles	"(That's What You Do) When You're in Love" "I Fell in Love Again Last Night" "Just in Case" "Mama's Never Seen Those Eyes" "Lonely Alone" "Too Many Rivers" "You Again" "Lyin' in His Arms Again" "Letter Home" "Sincerely" "Don't You" "Leave It Alone" "Drive South" "Men" "What'll You Do About Me"

Guest singles	"Too Much Is Not Enough" (with The Bellamy Brothers)

Related articles	Warner Bros. Records

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