Taking a break this week but I want to share just a little something anyway. Because it’s Christmas and not everyone feels warm and cozy today. Some may be as far from those they love as the moon is far from the earth. I’m thinking of you, wherever you may be. Let gravity be your solace.
This is one of my favorite carols and it reminds me just what’s most important about this time of year …
River
by Joni Mitchell
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 could skate away on
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
Wishing our readers a Happy Christmas and joyous holidays of every type, from all of us here at Doves & Serpents.
Joni Mitchell is wonderful… thanks for this Christmas thought. My festive season was in need of just this kind of poetry. :)
A little bluesy at Christmas is like the earth under wing, I think. Glad you liked it too.
Also one of my favorite Christmas songs. I tried and tried to find something similar to add to my listening this year. The regular stuff just didn’t do it for me. Anyone know of any atypical holiday music to add for next year?
I think non-traditional Christmas music is difficult to identify. The genre is so exaggerated that more subtle variations and off-beats just get lost. Maybe thinking more in terms of these low light days of winter solstice opens things up a bit more?
NPR did a series of posts noting “good” Christmas music and Joni Mitchell’s River is one of them. Here are the others:
– Eartha Kitt singing “Santa Baby”
– The Roches: “For To Us a Child is born”
– And a jazzed version of “O, Holy Night”
But my tastes still move more to non-traditonal, humanistic and tangential pieces like River. Another favorite of mine that doesn’t mention Christmas, just December is Counting Crows’ “A Long December.” Always makes me want to make a journey to the sea for the holidays.
Anyone else have more suggestions?