"River" | |
---|---|
Song by Joni Mitchell | |
from the album Blue | |
Released | June 1971 |
Length | 4:00 |
Label | Reprise |
Songwriter(s) | Joni Mitchell |
Producer(s) | Joni Mitchell |
"River" is a song by Canadian singer songwriter Joni Mitchell, from her 1971 album Blue . Written on piano, it has become a standard for artists in many music styles, and has become popular as Christmas music. Although never released as a single, "River" holds second place among Mitchell's songs most recorded by other artists. [1] In 2021, it was ranked at No. 247 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time". [2]
The song is about the recent breakup of a romantic relationship, with the singer longing to escape her painful emotional bonds. It is thought to be inspired by Mitchell's 1968–1970 relationship with Graham Nash. [3] Although the song is merely set near Christmas time, rather than being about Christmas, it has become something of a modern Christmas standard. Writer Will Blythe believes the song is connected to a visit to Chapel Hill that Mitchell made with then beau James Taylor and a caroling session with his family, the Taylor family, and Mitchell. [4]
The piano accompaniment to the vocal borrows heavily from the tune to the 19th-century winter song "Jingle Bells". [5]
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scotland (OCC) [6] | 75 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [7] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"River" | ||||
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Single by Ellie Goulding | ||||
from the EP Songbook for Christmas | ||||
Released | 14 November 2019 | |||
Recorded | 2019 | |||
Length | 4:06 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Songwriter(s) | Joni Mitchell | |||
Ellie Goulding singles chronology | ||||
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English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding released a cover version of the song as a single on 14 November 2019 exclusively on Amazon Music. [8] The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart. [9]
In an interview with Billboard earlier in the year, Goulding spoke of her love for Joni Mitchell in the past, she named her as one of the first songwriters she fell in love with in her youth. She said, "Only when I got into my teens did I discover song-writing, that was when I learned the guitar, and I listened to Imogen Heap and Björk, Ani DiFranco and especially Joni Mitchell." [10] On her social media, she said, "Joni was one of the reasons I wanted to be a songwriter. I'm honoured to have had the opportunity to cover this song." [11]
A music video to accompany the release of "River" was first released onto YouTube on 4 December 2019. [12] The music video was directed by David Soutar and filmed along the coastline near Dungeness. It shows Goulding and her friends picking up litter and recycled objects to make a zero-waste Christmas tree. The tree was donated to The Village Prep School in North London for the Christmas season, before being deconstructed and re-used. Goulding said, "Shooting the video in Dungeness was beautiful but a timely reminder that every single piece of plastic ever made is still on this planet. Plastic stuff is everywhere and our coastlines are suffering horrendously. It's a material that will last for hundreds of years so we need to have a plan. We wanted to show something different and to incorporate a different type of Christmas message while creating something reusable and beautiful - I'm so happy that it will live on at the Village Prep School, hopefully visiting many more schools to come." [13]
I'm so over the moon that I got the chance to sing such a beautiful song so close to my heart by one of the best songwriters of all time – someone who inspired me greatly for the next album and it makes me so happy that people have also become new Joni fans as a result. It's been a rollercoaster of a year but can't think of a better birthday present than being the last Number 1 of the decade.
— Goulding, on her social media accounts, [14]
On 27 December 2019, the song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, making it the last number-one song of the decade.
The single was not released onto most common download or streaming platforms, and only available through Amazon Music and YouTube. Music industry analysts noted that it reached the top of the charts primarily on the back of passive "lean back" streams; Amazon added the song to their Christmas playlists, meaning that "River" was played whenever someone asked an Amazon Alexa smart speaker to play Christmas songs. [15] [16]
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC) [17] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [18] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"River" is the second-most widely recorded song in Mitchell's oeuvre (432 recordings, behind only "Both Sides, Now"), [1] frequently appearing on albums of Christmas music by pop, folk and jazz artists. [19]
The song was covered by the cast of Glee in 2011. [20] The cover peaked at number 41 on the Canadian Hot 100 [21] and number 33 on the US Holiday Digital Song Sales chart. [22]
Linda Ronstadt covered "River" on her 2000 album Merry Little Christmas. This version was the first to be included in a Christmas album.
Heart has covered "River" during their live acoustic sets over the years.
"River" was covered by Barry Manilow on his 2002 album A Christmas Gift of Love with only one verse change involving a gender flip. [23] It charted as a single at No. 17 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts.
Robert Downey Jr. sang a version of this song on the 4th series of the TV show Ally McBeal and it was later included on the album A Very Ally Christmas by Vonda Shepard.
Sarah McLachlan also covered it on her 2006 album Wintersong and released it as a single. [24] Her cover charted at No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 8 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number two on the Canadian Singles Chart. [25] [26] American singer-songwriter James Taylor covered the song for his 2006 studio album, entitled James Taylor at Christmas. He had first heard the song when Joni Mitchell played it for him at her house in 1970. [27] In 2006, American jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux recorded it as a duet with k. d. lang for her album Half the Perfect World.
In 2017, Sam Smith covered the song as part of Spotify's Spotify Singles series. Smith's version was recorded at RAK Studios in London, England. [28]
In December 2018, the song was the subject of an episode of BBC Radio 4's Soul Music , examining the song's influence on people including Mitchell's biographer David Yaffe. [2] Ben Platt, as his character, Payton Hobart, performed the song during the first episode of the series The Politician (2019), [29] and on the soundtrack associated with the show. A cover by Judy Collins appears on her 2019 album Winter Stories. [30] In the 1998 movie You’ve Got Mail the Kathleen Kelly character, played by Meg Ryan, sub-vocalizes the song's opening lines as she types an email to the character played by Tom Hanks: It's coming on Christmas, "They're cutting down trees You know that Joni Mitchell song? I wish I had a river I could skate away on ... Such a sad song, and not really about Christmas at all but I was thinking about it tonight as I was decorating my Christmas tree …"
In 2020, Delta Goodrem covered this song and gave it a video on her Christmas album Only Santa Knows.[ citation needed ]
Darren Criss covered the song on his 2021 Christmas album “A Very Darren Crissmas”. [31]
On November 26, 2021, Australian singer-songwriter Gretta Ray released a cover of "River" as part of her three-song Christmas EP It's Almost Christmas in Philly.[ citation needed ]
Other artists to cover "River" include Sixpence None the Richer, Travis, Olivia Rodrigo, Tracey Thorn, Lighthouse Family, Weyes Blood, Holly Macve, and Harry Styles.
Sarah Ann McLachlan is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing (1997), for which she won two Grammy Awards and four Juno Awards. In addition to her personal artistic efforts, she founded the Lilith Fair tour, which showcased female musicians.
"Woodstock" is a song written by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. At least four versions of the song were released in 1970. Mitchell's own version was first performed live in 1969 and appeared in April 1970 on her album Ladies of the Canyon and as the B-side to her single "Big Yellow Taxi". A version by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young appeared on their album Déjà Vu in March 1970 and became a staple of classic rock radio and the best-known version of the song in the United States. A third version, by the British band Matthews Southern Comfort, became the best-known version in the United Kingdom and was the highest charting version of the song in the UK, reaching the top of the Singles Chart in 1970. A fourth version by studio project the Assembled Multitude also became a chart hit.
"Big Yellow Taxi" is a song written, composed, and originally recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in 1970, and originally released on her album Ladies of the Canyon. It was a hit in her native Canada as well as Australia and the UK. It only reached No. 67 in the US in 1970, but was later a bigger hit there for her in a live version released in 1974, which peaked at No. 24. Charting versions have also been recorded by the Neighborhood, and most notably by Amy Grant in 1995 and Counting Crows in 2002. The song was also sampled in Janet Jackson's "Got 'til It's Gone" (1997).
"Your Song" is a song written by musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was John's first international Top 10 chart single.
Blue is the fourth studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on June 22, 1971, by Reprise Records. Written and produced entirely by Mitchell, it was recorded in 1971 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California. Created just after her breakup with Graham Nash and during an intense relationship with James Taylor, Blue explores various facets of relationships from love on "A Case of You" to insecurity on "This Flight Tonight". The songs feature simple accompaniments on piano, guitar and Appalachian dulcimer. The album peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart, number 9 on the Canadian RPM Albums Chart and number 15 on the Billboard 200.
"Good Enough" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released on 12 September 1994 as the third and final single from her third studio album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1993).
Elena Jane Goulding is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Hereford and raised in Lyonshall, Goulding began writing songs at the age of 15. She released her debut single "Under the Sheets" through Neon Gold Records in 2009, and signed with Polydor Records that same year, releasing her debut extended play (EP) An Introduction to Ellie Goulding. Her debut studio album, Lights (2010), debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, and was reissued as Bright Lights, spawning three successful singles: a cover of Elton John's "Your Song", "Starry Eyed" and "Lights".
Lights is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 26 February 2010 by Polydor Records. Goulding collaborated with several producers on the album, including Starsmith, Fraser T. Smith, Frankmusik, Richard "Biff" Stannard, Ash Howes, Liam Howe, Fred Falke and Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett.
English singer Ellie Goulding has released five studio albums, two remix albums, eight extended plays, 48 singles, 13 promotional singles and 49 music videos. As of February 2023, Goulding had sold 27 million albums and 216 million singles, and amassed 43 billion streams worldwide. Additionally, she had sold over 2.6 million albums and over 15 million singles in the United Kingdom alone as of August 2024.
"Lights" is a song by English singer Ellie Goulding from Bright Lights (2010), the reissue of her debut studio album, Lights (2010). Written by Goulding, Richard Stannard and Ash Howes, the song was inspired by Goulding's childhood fear of the dark. It was released on 13 March 2011 as the album's sixth single overall, and second from Bright Lights. Originally a bonus track on the UK and German iTunes edition of Lights, the song was re-edited for inclusion on Bright Lights in late 2010, serving as the single version.
"Love Me Like You Do" is a song recorded by English singer Ellie Goulding for the soundtrack to the film Fifty Shades of Grey (2015). The song was written by Savan Kotecha, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Tove Lo, Max Martin and Ali Payami; the latter two also produced it. Goulding was selected to provide vocals to the track. It was released on 7 January 2015 as the second single from the soundtrack. The song was also included on Goulding's third studio album, Delirium (2015).
Halcyon is the second studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 5 October 2012 by Polydor Records. The album was recorded between 2011 and 2012, during promotion for her debut album, Lights (2010). Goulding worked with several producers on the album, including Jim Eliot, Starsmith, Billboard, Justin Parker, Monsta, Madeon and Mike Spencer, in addition to collaborating with artists such as Tinie Tempah and Calvin Harris.
"Anything Could Happen" is a song by English singer Ellie Goulding from her second studio album, Halcyon (2012). It was released on 17 August 2012 as the album's lead single. Written and produced by Goulding and Jim Eliot of English electropop duo Kish Mauve, the song received positive reviews from music critics. "Anything Could Happen" peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart. Outside the United Kingdom, "Anything Could Happen" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Poland, the top 20 of the charts in Australia, the Czech Republic Ireland and New Zealand and the top 50 of the charts in the United States.
"Explosions" is a song by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding from her second studio album, Halcyon (2012). Written by Goulding and John Fortis, it was released as a promotional single on iTunes Ireland on 3 August 2012 and on iTunes UK on 1 October 2012, but was removed shortly thereafter on both occasions. In late January 2013, it was announced that the track would be released as the official third single from the album. The official music video premiered on 30 January 2013 and consists of exclusive live footage of Goulding from The Halcyon Days Tour.
"I Need Your Love" is a song by Scottish producer and DJ Calvin Harris from his third studio album, 18 Months (2012). The song features vocals from English singer Ellie Goulding and was released on 2 April 2013 as the album's seventh single. "I Need Your Love" is also included as a bonus track on Goulding's second studio album, Halcyon (2012). The accompanying music video, directed by Emil Nava, depicts Harris and Goulding as a romantic couple on a trip to Miami.
"How Long Will I Love You?" is a song by folk rock band the Waterboys from their fifth studio album, Room to Roam (1990). Written by Mike Scott, it was released as the album's lead single. The song was subsequently covered by English singer Ellie Goulding and released as the second single from her album Halcyon Days (2013). Goulding's version is included on the soundtrack to the 2013 film About Time, which also features a different cover by Jon Boden, Sam Sweeney and Ben Coleman.
"Outside" is a song by Scottish DJ and record producer Calvin Harris, featuring English singer Ellie Goulding, from Harris's fourth studio album, Motion (2014). It was released on 20 October 2014 as the album's fourth single. The song also appears on the deluxe edition of Goulding's third studio album, Delirium (2015). "Outside" marks the second collaboration between Harris and Goulding, following the single "I Need Your Love" (2013).
Wonderland is the ninth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released on October 21, 2016 by Verve Records. It is McLachlan's second Christmas studio album, after 2006's Wintersong. The album received a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Someday at Christmas" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder, from his first Christmas album and eponymous eighth studio album (1967). Written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, it was produced by Henry R. Crosby. Initially released as a standalone single in 1966, it led to the recording of its parent album which was issued a year later. Described retrospectively as "a modern holiday classic", "Someday at Christmas" gained greater popularity with the version released by the Jackson 5 in 1970 on the Jackson 5 Christmas Album, with younger brother Michael Jackson singing lead with "youthful exuberance", according to Ebony magazine.
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