it's coming on christmas

they're cutting down trees

putting up reindeer

and singing songs of joy and peace

i wish i had a river

i could skate away on



but it don't snow here

it stays pretty green

gonna make a lot of money

then i'm gonna quit this crazy scene

and i wish i had a river

i could skate away on



i wish i had a river so wide

i would teach my feet to fly

i wish i had a river

i could skate away on

'cause i made my baby cry



you tried hard to help me

and you put me at ease

then loved me so naughty

made me weak in my knees

and wish i had a river

that i could skate away on



i'm so hard to handle

i'm selfish and i'm sad

now i lost the best baby

that i ever had

and i wish i had a river

that i could skate away on



i wish i had a river so wide

i could teach my feet to fly

i wish i had a river

that i could skate away on

cause i made my baby say goodbye



it's coming on christmas

they're cutting down trees

putting up reindeer

and singing songs of joy and peace

but i wish i had a river

i could skate away on



god i wish i had a river so wide

i'd teach my feet to fly

i wish i had a river

i could skate away on

i made my baby say goodbye





words and music joni mitchell