I really feel strange about coming to love a Bruce Springsteen song through a cover. I feel like I’m somehow betraying the songwriter. But, I didn’t fully appreciate “The River” until I heard Josh Ritter’s bare-bones take on an internet video a couple of years ago. Ritter’s cover is simple and straight forward, but conveys the brutal honesty in Springsteen’s epic song.

Ritter recorded this version for the Hangin’ on E-Street series over at Springsteen’s site. While you’re there, watch the interview with Ritter, and Boss covers by other young devotees like The Gaslight Anthem and The Avett Brothers.

Lots of new stuff from Bruce Springsteen lately.  For Halloween he posted a new video for “A Night With the Jersey Devil,” he wrote “The Wrestler” for the Darren Aronofsky film of the same name, and now a new video for “My Lucky Day.” Although I didn’t enjoy Magic nearly as much as Born to Run, I still get excited about new stuff from Springsteen. Look for his latest, Working on a Dream, on Jan. 27.