“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…”
-Joni Mitchell – “River”
Christmas is creeping closer and brings with it the music of the season. I’ve never really been able to sink my teeth into the ersatz jollity of most Christmas music and some of it just makes me want to pull my teeth out. But every now and then someone writes a Christmas tune that evokes the more melancholy sound of the holidays.
“River” from Mitchell’s 1971 classic “Blue” is just such a Christmas song. From the opening chords – easily recognizable as “Jingle Bells” – she sets a wistful and dreamy mood. But it’s her lyrics, yearning for escape, that speak to that feeling of restlessness that many of us feel during the holidays. That feeling that after the turkey is picked clean and the presents are unwrapped that all is not calm and all is not bright – that’s what Mitchell channels with “River”.
Walking through the Parks yesterday, in the muted gray-green British winter midday, I got to thinking of this track. Particularly this verse:
“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
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on…”
Enjoy this beautiful taste of the holidays. Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” is available from Amazon
.
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by JustJessie
08 Dec 2007 at 19:06
I love the picture of you and Zach. I love that song, too. It’s beautiful (made me a little teary).
I really like most Christmas music, though. It’s only the ones you can tell were written to make people cry that I don’t like (i.e. The Christmas Shoes. Those people should be put in jail for a song that sappy). Have you heard Chuck Leavell’s Christmas cd? It’s my favorite.
by arizaphale
10 Dec 2007 at 02:11
Ditto on the picture of you and Zach. I can really relate to that grey-green British winter. And the getting dark at 3.30pm thing. Mind you, it makes the lights really mean something. The loony US style Christmas lights here on a hot summer’s night just don’t cut it. In the UK, the Christmas traditions all made sense. It was a bright, sparkly moment in an otherwise grim, damp season. Christmas in the UK is the only thing I really miss. Apart from people. Loved the Joni Mitchell. Very beautiful.
by Bobbie
13 Dec 2007 at 08:56
I’ve always liked that song, too — and for much the same reason as you express.
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by sarala
15 Jan 2008 at 01:58
I hate Xmas music but I downloaded this song from I-tunes not that long ago. I love it.
Great post but I am so glad the Xmas music season is over! (By the way I’ve never heard this played in a store for the holidays).
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