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River

by Tami Neilson

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about

As Joni Mitchell's “Blue” turned 50 in June this year, Tami was asked by CBC to share a cover from the iconic album. She chose “River” and will be releasing it digitally Nov 9th.

“It was a huge honour to be asked by CBC to perform my hero Joni Mitchell’s “River”, to celebrate her Blue album anniversary. (And, frankly, so daunting I almost said no!) This song is one I’ve carried in my heart for most of my lifetime, across miles and oceans “

Tami Neilson first heard Joni Mitchell's song "River" as a teenager. "I was on tour with my family band all around Canada and the U.S. and for my birthday one year, my dad gave me the "Blue" album on CD. I was immediately obsessed."  

For Canadian-born Neilson, "River" dives into the pain of homesickness, a sentiment that resonated deeply during her first Christmas living abroad in New Zealand, where she now lives. "Being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are flipped so it's summer and really hot, and it's so strange to be decorating your Christmas tree in sundress. I remember putting on the "Blue" album and the song "River" came on and I just immediately started sobbing. I know this song is about regret over a broken relationship, but for me, it just became this song about homesickness and longing, and that hits hard especially this year.


(Artwork By Maria Francesca Melis, an Italian-born illustrator and graphic designer who grew up in Sardinia, a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. She currently lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand.
francesca-melis.com)

lyrics

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

Singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river

I could skate away on

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Joni Mitchell
River lyrics © Crazy Crow Music / Siquomb Music Publishing, DistroKid, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

credits

released November 9, 2021
Produced by Steph Brown & Fen Ikner
Drums, Guitar, Bass: Fen Ikner
Whistle: Steph Brown
Pedal Steel: Neil Watson

Mixed by Fen Ikner
Mastered by Chris Chetland
Written by Joni Mitchell

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all rights reserved

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Tami Neilson New Zealand

"Tami Neilson is a fire-breathing belter on her own terms." -ROLLING STONE

"A great, big canyon of a voice."
-DOWNBEAT

“Tami Neilson is a full tilt badass monster of music”
–SAVING COUNTRY MUSIC

"A red-hot honky-tonker, somewhere between Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson with perhaps just a little bit of Peggy Lee sophistication.”- Nick Bollinger, RNZ
... more

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