another non-reflective post

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River

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
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
Oh 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 ever had
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
Oh I wish I had a river
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


(Joni Mitchell)


i first came across this song at the Swingle Singers' pre-Christmas concert ('Unwrapped') at the Esplanade last year. It was beautiful - so beautiful i went hunting for the original the very next day. And of course Joni Mitchell did not disappoint.

i like the juxtaposition of (commercialised) Christmas cheer, homesickness and personal despair. And that image of skating away on a river? So evocative, so Canadian.

Joni Mitchell is god with a small g.
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