No 2 - River - Joni Mitchell

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.

Along with wind and heartburn, melancholia is one of my favourite Christmas feelings. You can't avoid it, it's contagious. It used to settle in on me whilst drunkenly carol singing at Midnight Mass. Once in Royal David's City is the holy champion of melancholia.

Joni Mitchell's Blue has it's fair share of sadness. Don't let that put you off, it's a brilliant record, best played on vinyl you've owned since 1978. Whilst not a Christmas Record per se, this song makes the top 25 thanks to that simple lyric opening onto an idyllic scene, then skating away into the cold, cold night.

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

I made my baby say goodbye.