River

At the start of 1970, Joni Mitchell's relationship with her boyfriend Graham Nash was crumbling. On top of this, she was feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the mass adulation her recordings were receiving. The songstress needed to get away, so she took off on a trip to Europe, metaphorically skating away on a river to escape the crazy scene. While Mitchell was in Crete, she sent Nash a telegram to tell him their romance was over. On "River," the Canadian singer gives her perspective on the doomed relationship as she yearns to escape the emotional bonds. She admits to being "hard to handle" and blames herself for losing "the best baby I ever had."

The song, set in the holiday season, finds Mitchell feeling sad that she won't be sharing the Christmas period with Nash. The piano accompaniment to the vocal, which borrows heavily from "Jingle Bells," adds to its festive feel. Though "River" has become a modern holiday standard, it is actually a Christmas song that isn't about Christmas (as is "Jingle Bells").

Because of the song's link with Christmas, it has been covered by numerous artists on holiday albums. Indeed, "River" is the second-most-widely recorded song in Mitchell's oeuvre behind "Both Sides Now." Well known covers include those by Barry Manilow (in 2002), Sarah McLachlan (in 2006) and James Taylor (also in 2006). McLachlan's version peaked at #71 on the Hot 100.