▁was ▁the ▁track , ▁and ▁it ▁went ▁the ▁whole ▁distance . ▁It ▁was ▁like ▁a ▁nice ▁s ine ▁wave . ▁[ J ef ▁Lab es ▁later ] ▁built ▁the ▁string ▁arrangement ▁around ▁that ▁from ▁the ▁parts ▁that ▁were ▁already ▁played . ▁ ▁Response ▁" You ▁Don ' t ▁P ull ▁No ▁P unch es , ▁but ▁You ▁Don ' t ▁P ush ▁The ▁River " ▁is ▁often ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁Mor r ison ' s ▁most ▁accomplished ▁compos itions , ▁as ▁bi ograph er ▁Johnny ▁Rog an ▁confir ms ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 : ▁" M orr ison ' s ▁most ▁accomplished ▁composition ▁to ▁date , ▁an ▁experimental ▁peak ▁which ▁took ▁a ▁step ▁beyond ▁even ▁his ▁most ▁am bit ious ▁work ." ▁▁ ▁In ▁The ▁Un cut ▁Ult imate ▁Music ▁Guide : ▁Van ▁Mor r ison ▁Jason ▁Anderson ▁describes ▁" You ▁Don ' t ▁P ull ▁No ▁P unch es , ▁but ▁You ▁Don ' t ▁P ush ▁The ▁River " ▁as ▁" the ▁mes mer ising ▁nine - min ute ▁cent rep ie ce " ▁of ▁Ve ed on ▁Fle e ce . ▁ ▁Person nel ▁Van ▁Mor r ison ▁- ▁guitar , ▁vocal ▁ ▁Ter essa ▁Adams ▁- ▁c ello ▁David ▁Hay es ▁- ▁bass ▁guitar ▁ ▁James ▁Roth erm el ▁- ▁fl ute ▁ ▁Nathan ▁Rub in ▁- ▁viol in ▁Jack ▁Sch ro er ▁- ▁sop rano ▁sa x oph one ▁ ▁D ah aud ▁Sh aar ▁( David ▁Shaw ) ▁- ▁drums ▁James ▁Tr um