Some computer problems (aaaahhh!) yesterday, so writing about trying to turn my left leg out will have to wait. Everyone will have to be kept in a state of suspense about the state of my outside mohawks and back cross rolls.
But I’m borrowing my son’s computer because I couldn’t wait to share one of the best skating songs of all time, which I heard again yesterday when my young friend Maddy was practicing her holiday show program. I told her that when her music started, everyone of a certain generation would say “Oh, I love this song!” The incorporation of “Jingle Bells” is particularly wonderful.
Here’s the Joni Mitchell version (complete with Peanuts animation, what could be better?):
Maddy is using the recent Sarah McLachlan version, which brings a whole new generation to this song. Thanks, Sarah!
I feel that teary lump in the throat coming on (and it’s not because Snoopy has better three turns than I do).
Here’s the lyrics (sigh…):
It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
But it don’t snow here
It stays pretty green
I’m going to make a lot of money
Then I’m going to quit this crazy scene
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
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
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye
It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
jo skates 
December 15, 2014 at 3:06 pm
One of our local skaters used the Sarah McLachlan version of this song for a holiday show and it was really lovely. She performed it on an outdoor rink which is actually track shaped and the day of the show was so warm there was a lot of water on the ice. One mom quipped that that day she literally had a river to skate on!
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December 15, 2014 at 4:00 pm
That is great! It must have been fun (and thankfully warm) to watch!
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December 15, 2014 at 7:17 pm
Beautiful! Though of course sad. For a show you could cut out the (saddest) middle.
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December 15, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Absolutely, you could cut the “naughty bits” (à la Monty Python)! Thanks for the comment!
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December 16, 2014 at 5:19 pm
Greetings from Tokyo where it stays pretty green and doesn’t snow . . .
Yay! Snoopy’s layback Ina Bauer is graceful, gleeful, and adorable! Thanks for the videos, Jo. I dimly recall the Joni Mitchell song but conveniently blocked out the lyrics. The song is haunting and beautiful.
Your blog is lovely and thoughtful. I must visit more often. Skate on, Jo, and write on . . . !
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December 16, 2014 at 5:23 pm
Yay, thanks for checking my blog! Tokyo is fabulous: are you going to make a lot of money and quit that crazy scene? I think I’ve been listening to that sad song whaaayyy too much. Will have to find something more lighthearted next time.
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