No, this is a Christmas song
I have just been reading a fascinating, well-argued piece about why ‘River’ by Joni Mitchell, from her album Blue is not a Christmas song. It can be found over here at Oliver di Place blog.
I’m impressed by the argument -but i think you can have Christmas songs where things are sad and people break up. And it should go without saying that this song is better than either ‘Lonely this Christmas’ by Mud or ‘A Winter’s Tale’ by David Essex.
Of course, there are songs associated with Christmas that aren’t really remotely Christmassy it’s just that they reference cold weather (which I appreciate, probably only makes sense in the northern hemisphere) or they have bells on them.
Mind you, I’ve been playing Blue quite a lot of late - ‘the colour of my room and my mood’ as another female singer once sang, so here it is.
Joni Mitchell -’River.’ mp3
I put on an old Christmas compilation I’d made a few years back while decorating the tree this weekend, and this track was the one that stood out most to me. It’s not a Christmas song in that I wouldn’t feel bad about listening to it in July, but it captures the atmosphere better than any number of jingling bells.
I think that sums it up pretty well, Rol!
Hope you’re well, Ed
A wonderful album. Mrs H used to sing me A Case of You when we were courting in 1971/2.
Aw…that’s kinda cool. The music I most associate with courting the now mrs. 17 Seconds is Mylo’s album, Kate Bush and Ian brown’s ‘F.E.A.R.’
One of my favourite albums and yes, one of my favourite Christmassy songs. I made a sad bastard Christmas mix a couple of years ago that people still call on me to repost - it opened with Angus Stone’s cover of this.
Haven’t heard that cover - will have to seek it out…