For an African-American male in the States (for Cooke, itвЂ™s the 1960s and for Bridges itвЂ™s 2016, but, unfortunately, there are still many similar struggles for racial equality in BridgesвЂ™ time) trying to escape is something laden with both optimism and despair вЂ“ enough despair that it even evokes a possible escape from this life. Bridges too, has been вЂtraveling these wide roads for so longвЂ™ and has been running for вЂten thousand milesвЂ™. Herein lies the strong parallel to how Sam Cooke uses the river.ДЄfter Cooke declares that he was born by the river, he tells us that вЂjust like the river, IвЂ™ve been running ever since.вЂ™ He views this symbol as a way to move, to escape his birth. Rebirth is an escape, regardless of any religious context. But when he asks to be dipped in the smooth waters as вЂa man with many crimesвЂ™ he is also using the river as an escape вЂ“ an escape from his sinful past.

He wants to baptize himself in the river and вЂwipe his slate cleanвЂ™ with the Lord. The way Bridges uses it, it represents the latter: rebirth. It can represent time it can represent a barrier it can represent movement it can represent rebirth. This notion of the river is a powerful symbol in both songs it is a ubiquitous symbol in art throughout history.

Sam Cooke opens A Change is Gonna Come with a declaration that he was вЂborn by the riverвЂ™ while Leon Bridges continually asks that he be taken to the river. The more I listened, the more I began to see similarities in the lyrics as well. But it wasnвЂ™t only the voice that took me away to Sam Cooke-land.

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