"River" is a song by Joni Mitchell, from her 1971 album Blue. Although never released as a single, it has become one of Mitchell's most famous songs.
Overview
In the song, Mitchell ruminates on the recent breakup of a romantic relationship. Christmas is nearing, and Mitchell longs to escape her emotional bonds, openly wishing "I wish I had a river / I could skate away on," a river so long she "could teach my feet to fly." Furthermore, Mitchell's Canadian past is reflected upon, as her current warm (presumably Californian) climes do not offer her that ice or that chance.Carol sample
Keeping with the Christmas theme of the lyrics, the song begins with an interpolation of the traditional Christmas song "Jingle Bells", and it figures heavily throughout the accompaniment of the song.Covers
Although merely set near Christmas time rather than being about Christmas as such, the song has become something of a modern Christmas standard. "River" is one of the most widely covered songs in Mitchell's oeuvre, frequently appearing on albums of Christmas music by pop, folk and jazz artists.
Artists who have performed the song include Travis, Tori Amos, Michael Ball, Sara Bareilles, Kathy Brier, Betty Buckley, Nick Buzz, Rosanne Cash, Holly Cole, Shawn Colvin, Allison Crowe, Robert Downey, Jr., Catherine Feeny, Renee Fleming, Liam Frost, Grace Notes, Tobias Hauser, Heart, Indigo Girls, Ben Jelen, k.d. lang, Rebecca Luker, Barry Manilow, Aimee Mann, Salyu, Sarah McLachlan, Robert Mosci, Jill O'Hara, Beth Orton, Madeleine Peyroux, Dianne Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, Anne Runolfsson, Janis Siegel, Sister Hazel, The Swingle Singers, Angus Stone, James Taylor, Rachael Yamagata, Marti Pellow, Corinne Bailey Rae Dave Van Ronk and Kate Miller-Heidke.
Rap artist and producer Kanye West sampled Mitchell's line "gonna make a lot of money and then I'm gonna quit this crazy scene" for a song that appeared on one of his mixtapes.
Radio play
In the 2000s "River" would be rediscovered by the plethora of radio stations adopting the all-Christmas-music holiday programming format.
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Last updated on Saturday June 28, 2008 at 12:42:36 PDT (GMT -0700)
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