Christmas is about being happy, but today I’m just not
feeling it. Maybe it is a mixture of my bad mood and disdain for the holidays—but
I can’t stop listening to this song.
Joni Mitchell is one of folk music’s most unique artists,
and “River” takes the unsurpassed lead for the best song on Blue, her best album (in my opinion).
Everything is so tranquil yet sad, from the beginning Jingle Bell chords to the
river I secretly wish I could also skate away on. This is, perhaps, the ultimate
bad mood Christmas song.
I remember first hearing “River” in Almost Famous. It wasn’t on the soundtrack but was one of the
hidden gems embedded in the film, and only played for a short minute. Looking
it up was definitely worth it. Below is a posting of the video, and just for a
visual, here are the lyrics too.
Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.
It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on.
But it don’t snow here
It stays pretty green
I’m going to make a lot of money
Then I’m going to quit this crazy scene
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet fly
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry
He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I’m so hard to handle
I’m selfish and I’m sad
Now I’ve gone and lost the best baby
That I’ve ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye
It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
