River
A piano ballad set at Christmas, never a single, recorded by more than a thousand artists.
Joni Mitchell, from Blue (1971)
- Written by
- Joni Mitchell
- Released
- 22 June 1971
- Length
- 4:00
- Album
- Blue
River is the eighth track on Blue, with Mitchell alone at the piano. Its accompaniment borrows from the tune of Jingle Bells. It was never released as a single, yet Rolling Stone ranked it 247th among the greatest songs of all time in 2021. Only Both Sides, Now has been recorded more often among her songs.
It existed before Christmas 1970. Mitchell played it at an October 1970 concert aired on the BBC, and she had played it for James Taylor at her home. She has called it a Christmas song for people who are lonely at Christmas, and said its subject is taking personal responsibility for the failure of a relationship.
Covers
Linda Ronstadt recorded it in 2000 on Merry Little Christmas, the first Christmas album to include it. Sarah McLachlan took it to 71 on the Hot 100 in 2006 and James Taylor recorded it that year for James Taylor at Christmas. Herbie Hancock included a version sung by Corinne Bailey Rae on River: The Joni Letters in 2007. Ellie Goulding's cover, released on 14 November 2019, reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on 27 December 2019.
Covers and versions
- Linda Ronstadt (2000) On Merry Little Christmas.
- Sarah McLachlan (2006) On Wintersong, 71 on the Hot 100.
- James Taylor (2006) On James Taylor at Christmas.
- Herbie Hancock (2007) With Corinne Bailey Rae, on River: The Joni Letters.
- Ellie Goulding (2019) UK number one on 27 December 2019.
More songs by Joni Mitchell
A Case of You, The Last Time I Saw Richard, Big Yellow Taxi, Both Sides, Now, Help Me
Sources
- River (Joni Mitchell song), Wikipedia
- Blue (Joni Mitchell album), Wikipedia