River (Mitchell)

Mitchell first recorded this song on her iconic 1971 "Blue" album.

It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer & 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 to 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 & I'm sad
Now I've gone & lost the best baby that I ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on

—lyrics & music by Joni Mitchell
(c) 1971 Siquomb Music. All rights reserved.