River
Joni Mitchell
Some songs on Dr. How Much's list of saddest ever are there because they are easy to make fun of, but other sad songs under consideration are really, really good. Joni Mitchell's River, for example, is a legitimately great song. It also includes all four of the critical characteristics of an unusually sad song: 1. It's about loss. 2. It's about love. 3. It's about regret. 4. It's about four minutes. A woman laments about a recent breakup for which she blames her own selfish nature. She wishes for a long frozen river on which she could skate away and fly. It was clear to Dr. How Much that this song deserved consideration in these postings when two separate lady friends independently mentioned it as their favorite song.
Mitchell is an important singer-songwriter (Rolling Stone magazine labeled her as one of the greatest ever) from the late 60's (she is still writing and performing today) responsible for many of the folkish introspective hits of the era, many recorded by Judy Collins, such as Both Sides Now, Chelsea Morning, and others, such as Woodstock recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. River, from the 1971 album Blue, was never released as a single, but is a mainstay of her live shows. It is available these days on iTunes. River has achieved the highest indicator of importance possible for a popular song- it has its own Wikipedia entry! That entry lists more than 75 artists who have covered it. It is quite probably the saddest song ever recorded. Chek out these links below:
Joni Mitchell version
Joni Mitchell live version
Sarah McLachlan version
Robert Downey, Jr version from an episode of the TV show Ally McBeal
Joni Mitchell live version
Sarah McLachlan version
Robert Downey, Jr version from an episode of the TV show Ally McBeal
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 made my baby say goodbye
Yeah, it's a good song, but saddest? Semisonic's "Gone to the Movies" is on the same topic and is sadder. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV59m3beMYA
ReplyDeleteAs long as we are leaving the "blunt trauma" level of sadness and getting into more genuinely sad songs I will suggest these:
ReplyDeleteMountain Goats - Get Lonely
Semisonic - Gone to the Movies
Death Cab for Cutie - Tiny Vessels
Decemberists - On the Bus Mall
Van Morrison - TB Sheets
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
The Weakerthans - Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about Shannon? You know: maybe she'll find an island with a shady tree, just like the one in our back yard.
I never really listened to the lyrics of "River" before. The music is so pretty and the thought of racing down a frozen river so appealling I didn't think of it as a sad song but it is a song of regret.
ReplyDeleteAlso - if we're making suggestions. How about New Order's "Love Vigilantes"?
ReplyDeleteHere are the lyrics:
--
Oh I've just come
From the land of the sun
From a war that must be won
In the name of truth
With our soldiers so brave
your freedom we will save
With our rifles and grenades
And some help from God
I want to see my family
My wife and child waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
You just can't believe
The joy I did recieve
When I finally got my leave
And I was going home
Oh I flew through the sky
my convictions could not lie
For my country I would die
And I will see it soon
I want to see my family
My wife and child waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
When I walked through the door
My wife she lay upon the floor
And with tears her eyes were sore
I did not know why
Then I looked into her hand
And I saw the telegram
That said that I was a brave, brave man
But that I was dead
I want to see my family
My wife and child waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see
--
For me it is sad in 2 ways - one he came home from the war to find his wife has committed suicide after getting the telegram that he's dead but it was a mistake and he's come home.
OR
His spirit comes home and sees how distraught his wife is that he's dead - he doesn't know he's dead until he sees the telegram.
I will examine the suggestions.
ReplyDeleteAnd, "Shannon" I have already considered. It's about a dog, but one cannot be sure he was a good dog. I will consider further. Dr. How Much thanks you.