157 Riverside Avenue

About 157 Riverside Avenue

"157 Riverside Avenue" is a song by REO Speedwagon from their first album, REO Speedwagon, released in 1971. It was written by all five band members at the time, Terry Luttrell, Gary Richrath, Gregg Philbin, Neal Doughty, and Alan Gratzer. The title refers to the Westport, Connecticut address where the band stayed while recording that album. The song is a standard at the band's live performances, as it has been for many years. Where the original studio version clocked in at only 3:57, live performances include a bass solo in addition to the song's piano and guitar solos, honky-tonk piano work, and an extended interlude where lead vocalist Kevin Cronin tells a story that leads up to a "conversation" between him and lead guitarist Gary Richrath (later Dave Amato) where the guitarist's side consists of guitar solos while Kevin's side is scat vocals. The version of the song on Live: You Get What You Play For is 7:38 in length. An even longer version (12:22) was included on the compilation album A Decade of Rock and Roll: 1970-1980, and a third live version (with Amato) appears on Arch Allies: Live at Riverport at a length of 7:39. more »