"Pissing in a River" is a rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 song written by Patti Smith

Patti Smith

Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....

 and Ivan Kral

Ivan Kral

Ivan Kral is a Grammy Award-winning Czechoslovakian-born American composer, filmmaker and singer. He works across many genres including rock, jazz, soul, country and film scores...

, and released as a lead single from Patti Smith Group 1976 album Radio Ethiopia

Radio Ethiopia

Radio Ethiopia is an album by the Patti Smith Group, released in October 1976 on Arista Records.- History :Radio Ethiopia was the followup record to Smith's widely acclaimed debut Horses. In interviews surrounding the album's release, Smith explained that she chose producer Jack Douglas in hopes of...

. It was featured in both the 1980 movie Times Square

Times Square (film)

Times Square is a 1980 film starring Trini Alvarado, Robin Johnson, and Tim Curry. The plot of the film essentially embodies a punk rock ethic - misunderstood youth forming a band and, through music, articulating their frustrations toward adult authority, personified in the film as parents, the...

and the 1997 independent film All Over Me. Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby is an English novelist, essayist and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. His work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists.-Life and career:Hornby was...

 describes "Pissing in a River" as one of 31 songs that have provided a soundtrack to his life. It is also appear on Smith's compilations Land and iTunes Originals

ITunes Originals – Patti Smith

iTunes Originals – Patti Smith is an iTunes Originals compilation album by Patti Smith, released digitally by iTunes Store on January 8, 2008...

.

The opening piano chord sequence forms the basis for DJ Shadow

DJ Shadow

Joshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...

's song "Blood on the Motorway".