River of Dreams is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on August 10, 1993.

River of Dreams presented a more serious tone than found in Joel's previous albums, dealing with issues such as trust and long-lasting love.

It was rumored that the themes of trust and betrayal, particularly certain lyrics from the songs "A Minor Variation" and "The Great Wall of China", stem from Joel's legal disputes with his former manager and ex-brother-in-law, Frank Weber, who reportedly embezzled millions of dollars from Joel and used dubious accounting practices to cover it up.

[14] Joel was dissatisfied with the results, and so, on the recommendation of Don Henley, he brought in session guitarist Danny Kortchmar for another take on the songs.

Only one song from the Shelter Island sessions, "Shades of Grey", would make the final album in its original produced form.