Notes: For the bass notes, its best to play triads of "root-5th-octave" (for C chords,
C/G/C, for Am chords A/E/A, etc.) like in the recording.
Also, I don't know the chords for the bridge, so you'll just have to make something up.
Intro:
C C/A C/F G
(Play "Jingles Bells" melody using the C chord)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/joni_mitchell/river_crd_ver_2.html ]
Dm/C C
It's coming on Christmas
Dm/C C
They're cutting down trees
Dm/C C
They're putting up reindeer
Dm/C C
And singing songs of joy and peace
Am
Oh I wish I had a river
G
I could skate away on
Dm/C C
But it don't snow here
Dm/C C
It stays pretty green
Dm/C C
I'm going to make a lot of money
Dm/C C
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Am
I wish I had a river
G
I could skate away on
F G
I wish I had a river so long
C F Em Dm
I would teach my feet to fly
C
Oh I wish I had a river
G Fm
I could skate away on
C
I made my baby cry
Dm/C C
He tried hard to help me
Dm/C C
You know, he put me at ease
Dm/C C
And he loved me so naughty
Dm/C C
Made me weak in the knees
Am
Oh I wish I had a river
G
I could skate away on
Dm/C C
I'm so hard to handle
Dm/C C
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Dm/C C
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
Dm/C C
That I ever had
Am
Oh I wish I had a river
G
I could skate away on
Fm G
I wish I had a river so long
C F Em Dm
I would teach my feet to fly
G Fm
Oh I wish I had a river
C
I made my baby say goodbye
Dm/C C
It's coming on christmas
Dm/C C
They're cutting down trees
Dm/C C
They're putting up reindeer
Dm/C C
And singing songs of joy and peace
Am
I wish I had a river
G
I could skate away on
Outro:
Play "Jingle Bells" Melody using the G chord
