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River

Chords

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River chords (for the acoustic guitar) *
[Intro (with piano)]
C Am F G
[Verse 1]
It's Fcoming on CChristmas
They're Fcutting down Ctrees
They're Fputting up Creindeer
And singing Fsongs of Cjoy and peace
Oh, I Amwish I had a river I could skate aGway on
[Verse 2]
But Fit don't Csnow here
It Fstays pretty Cgreen
I'm going to Fmake a lot of Cmoney
Then I'm going to Fquit this Ccrazy scene
Oh, I Amwish I had a river I could skate aGway on
[Chorus 1]
I Fwish I had a river so Glong
I would Cteach my feet to Ffly-Am---       Dm  Dm7wooh . .
I Cwish I had a river GI could skate away Fon
CI made my Gbaby Ccry
[Interlude]
C Am G
[Verse 3]
He Ftried hard to Chelp me
You know, he Fput me at Cease
And he Floved me so Cnaughty
Made me Fweak in the Cknees
Oh, I Amwish I had a river I could skate aGway on
[Verse 4]
I'm Fso hard to Chandle
I'm Fselfish and I'm Csad
Now I've gone and Flost the best Cbaby
That FI ever Chad
Oh, I Amwish I had a river I could skate aGway on
[Chorus 2]
I Fwish I had a river so Glong
I would Cteach my feet to Ffly-Am---       Dm  Dm7whoa
I Cwish I had a river GI could skate away Fon
I Cmade my Gbaby Csay goodbye
[Interlude]
C Am G
[Verse 1, repeated]
It's Fcoming on CChristmas
They're Fcutting down Ctrees
They're Fputting up Creindeer
And singing Fsongs of Cjoy and peace
Oh, I Amwish I had a river I could skate aGway on
[Outro]
G F Dm
Capo III
   C= A  
  Am= F#m  
   F= D  
   G= E  
  Dm= Bm  
 Dm7= Bm7  

All chords in this song (12)

The story behind the song

"River" captures a profound sense of geographical displacement and the ache of a lost relationship, set against a Christmas backdrop. The song's central image of wishing for a river to skate away on expresses a longing for escape and the familiar, contrasting the warm Los Angeles winter with the frozen north of the writer's Canadian upbringing. It embodies a feeling of being out of sync with one's surroundings while grappling with personal loss. Playing it, you channel the quiet melancholy of yearning for a different place and time.

AI-written from these sources:River (Joni Mitchell song) — Wikipedia ↗Joni Mitchell — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

River

by Joni Mitchell

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Dm7

F#m

Bm7

River chords (for the acoustic guitar) *

[Intro (with piano)]

C Am F G

[Verse 1]

F C

It's coming on Christmas

F C

They're cutting down trees

F C

They're putting up reindeer

F C

And singing songs of joy and peace

Am G

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

[Verse 2]

F C

But it don't snow here

F C

It stays pretty green

F C

I'm going to make a lot of money

F C

Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene

Am G

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

[Chorus 1]

F G

I wish I had a river so long

C F Am Dm Dm7

I would teach my feet to fly---- wooh . .

C G F

I wish I had a river I could skate away on

C G C

I made my baby cry

[Interlude]

C Am G

[Verse 3]

F C

He tried hard to help me

F C

You know, he put me at ease

F C

And he loved me so naughty

F C

Made me weak in the knees

Am G

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

[Verse 4]

F C

I'm so hard to handle

F C

I'm selfish and I'm sad

F C

Now I've gone and lost the best baby

F C

That I ever had

Am G

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

[Chorus 2]

F G

I wish I had a river so long

C F Am Dm Dm7

I would teach my feet to fly---- whoa

C G F

I wish I had a river I could skate away on

C G C

I made my baby say goodbye

[Interlude]

C Am G

[Verse 1, repeated]

F C

It's coming on Christmas

F C

They're cutting down trees

F C

They're putting up reindeer

F C

And singing songs of joy and peace

Am G

Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

[Outro]

G F Dm

Capo III

C A

Am F#m

F D

G E

Dm Bm

Dm7 Bm7

About River Chords by Joni Mitchell

Learn how to play River by Joni Mitchell with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “River chords”, “River guitar chords”, or “Joni Mitchell River chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy River chords and for experienced players who want accurate River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, Am, F, G, Dm, Dm7.

FAQ — River by Joni Mitchell

How do I play "River" by Joni Mitchell on guitar?

Open the free chords for "River" by Joni Mitchell on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "River" by Joni Mitchell free?

Yes. The chords for "River" by Joni Mitchell are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "River" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "River" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "River"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "River" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "River" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "River" by Joni Mitchell with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Joni Mitchell below.

What key is "River" in?

The chords for "River" show the original chord names (including C, Am, F, G, Dm, Dm7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.