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