Today is Christmas Eve and today’s classic song of the day is Joni Mitchell’s “River.” Many people consider this their favorite Christmas song, even though it isn’t technically a song about Christmas. It mentions Christmas in the lyrics and is obviously set in the season, but it isn’t about St. Nick or mistletoe or baby Jesus or any of that.
What “River” is about is the ending of a relationship. Ms. Mitchell had recently broken up with Graham Nash, with whom she’d had a two-year relationship, and this song is all about her feelings about that. As Joni herself recalled:
“‘River’ expresses regret at the end of a relationship, but it’s also about being lonely at Christmastime. A Christmas song for people who are lonely at Christmas. We need a song like that.”
Joni Mitchell supposedly wrote “River” (on piano) after traveling with new beau James Taylor to spend Christmas with his family in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. While she was there she went caroling with James and his kin, and that apparently inspired her.
“River” was not released as a single, yet still became one of Joni’s most treasured—and most covered—tunes. It was the third track on side two of her influential 1971 album, Blue. That’s right, a track buried in the middle of the second side of the LP became the true standout track on an album full of standouts.
All that said, tomorrow is Christmas Day. I hope you all have friends and family to spend it with. If not, you have Joni Mitchell and Blue and “River.” That’s enough of a gift for most of us.
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
