“River” by Joni Mitchell

Before the days of Taylor Swift, there were female singer/songwriters like Joni Mitchell whose artistry was also influenced by their actual romantic experiences. And in her youth Joni dated just as many dudes, if not more, than Tay-Tay. 

So in the case of “River”, it is said to have been her recently ended romance with Graham Nash, who was Mitchell’s musical collaborator as well as lover, upon which the prevailing sentiment is set. And by the looks of things Joni’s relationship with Graham did prove to be one of the more meaningful ones she engaged in, i.e. right around the time her career took off.

But again, this piece was dropped and apparently written after the two of them had already broken up. So it is a song of lament, one in which the singer is noticeably depressed and heartbroken. 

First Half

“River” commences with the vocalist noting that the sentiments expressed are being done so around Christmastime. It is that reference especially, i.e. the narrative being set at Christmas, which has lent to “River” being adopted as a Christmas song.

But the emphasis is not on the holiday. Rather in context, Christmas is meant to serve as a symbol. And what it symbolizes is the time of year where under normal circumstances people, including the addressee, are in a joyous mood.

But this time around, her heart really isn’t there. And it takes a while for the vocalist to get to the point, that the reason she feels this way is due to being the victim of a dissolved romance. And beforehand and interestingly, in the second verse, Joni pretty much states forthrightly that after jacking up her bank account, she’s “going to quit” the music industry altogether. 

That prediction did not prove accurate, as she actually continued to drop albums well into the 21^st century, after having already established herself as a music legend. But one of the reasons that statement is interesting is because it may be the earliest instance we have thus far come across of a music star expressing a desire to quit the game.

But more importantly concerning the matter at hand is that said ambitions set the stage for what’s to come after, i.e. the third and fourth verses being a lot more personal than the first two. 

Second Half

It is during the latter half of the song that Joni insinuates the reason she’s feeling blue is as the result of a breakup. But more specifically notable is the vocalist actually taking the blame for this reality. 

She presents herself as someone who is hardheaded, “selfish and… sad”, with her ex being the one who made it his mission to ‘help her’. But she did something to him, ‘made her baby cry’, that drove dude away. 

So now, she’s thoroughly in her feelings. Or, you know how it is when you meet that special someone and then proceed to mess up the relationship?  Well that is the sensation the vocalist is dealing with now, convinced she has shot herself in the foot as far as her love life is concerned.

Takeaway

So this song definitely doesn’t paint a picture of Joni Mitchell being a feminist icon, as she’s more or less known in the here and now. Indeed it is pretty obvious that the vocalist is dealing with self-esteem issues and that may be what is compelling her to take the blame for this breakup. 

The aforementioned theory becomes more probable when you consider for instance that Graham Nash reportedly didn’t treat her too well. But as alluded to earlier, such a stance is more realistic as far as being depressed and heartbroken goes. In a relationship, it is normal for the weaker-emotional party to accept the onus of fault when things go sour.

Finally concerning the titular “river”, it is a symbolic construct. What it represents is the vocalist’s desire to escape her own thoughts and emotions of the moment, to come across a frozen river that she could skate on and feel free. But for the time being, it appears as if these romance-related feelings of self-pity are something she’s going to have to deal with into the foreseeable future.

Facts about “River”

“River” is a special song, taking into consideration that it was never released as a single. However, it holds the distinction of being the second-most covered piece in Joni Mitchell’s lengthy and well-regarded catalog. 

Moreover it didn’t get around to charting until the 21^st century, i.e. in the information age, where non-singles are afforded the opportunity to do so.

The original version of this song appeared on the Scottish Singles Chart in 2019. Another version by the cast of Glee charted in the US and Canada earlier in the decade.

Moreover, an official music video for “River” did not come out until 2021. This was over 50 years after this track was officially dropped on 22 June 1971. 

The said clip is an animated affair that is based on a Christmas theme. It was directed by animator/businessman Matvey Rezanov.

This song, which was written and produced by Joni, originally came out as part of her album “Blue”, which itself is a product of Reprise Records.

Besides Glee doing so in 2011, other popular TV shows that have made use of this song include the below:

• Thirtysomething (1987)
• The Wonder Years (1988)
• Ally McBeal (2000)

Furthermore, the tune made a notable appearance on the classic 1998 romcom You’ve Got Mail.

Notable Covers of “River”

Well-known artists who have covered this song include the following:

• Barry Manilow (2002)
• James Taylor (2006)
• Sam Smith (2017)
• Brandi Carlile (2021) 

But most notable thus far would be Ellie Goulding’s version. This is because her rendition of “River” actually topped the UK Singles Chart during the Christmas season of 2019.