Before Bruce Springsteen became a global superstar in the '80s with Born in the USA, he and the E Street Band released the 1980 double album The River and then began a tour that celebrated its combination of haunted ballads and joyous rock'n'roll to great acclaim. In this film Springsteen gives a first-hand account of the events and aesthetic behind the writing of The River, performing a number of the key songs on acoustic guitar. A unique account of one of the great rock 'n' roll statements, in which Springsteen explores his working-class roots and the ties that bind.