Wilson was born Margarita Ibrahimoff (Bulgarian: Маргарита Ибрахимов; Greek: Μαργαρίτα Ιμπραΐμοβ) in Los Angeles, California. Her mother was born and raised in an ethnic Greek village (Sotirë) in present-day Albania. Her father, born Hassan Ibrahimoff (March 21, 1920 – March 6, 2009), worked at a race track; he was a Bulgarian Muslim immigrant, born in Oraio, Xanthi, Greece, and lived in Bulgaria, where his half brother Ferhat still lives,[ before moving to the United States on May 4, 1949. Wilson's father changed his name from Hassan Ibrahimoff to Allan Wilson in 1960, "Wilson" being the name of a local street in Southern California. Wilson was raised in the Greek Orthodox religion.
Wilson's career began with a guest appearance on The Brady Bunch, in a 1972 episode entitled "Greg's Triangle," which was followed by appearances on several shows during the 1970s and 1980s (including Three's Company in 1982).
She has appeared in several movies, including Volunteers, Teen Witch, The Bonfire of the Vanities, Barbarians at the Gate, Mixed Nuts, Sleepless in Seattle, Now and Then, That Thing You Do!, Jingle All the Way, Runaway Bride, Invisible Child, The Story of Us, and Raise Your Voice. She played Susan Borman, wife of astronaut Frank Borman, in the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon. On television, she guest starred in many television series, including Frasier, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Good Wife and Body of Proof.
Wilson has performed on Broadway, where she performed the role of Roxie Hart from June–August 2006 in the revival of Chicago.
She is often credited with being the driving force behind Nia Vardalos' movie deal for My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which became the highest-grossing independent film of all time, and for which she served as a producer.
Wilson's debut solo album, AM/FM, will be released May 8, 2012, on Decca Records. The album will feature classics from the 60s and 70s.
Wilson married actor Tom Hanks in 1988, and they have two sons, Chester and Truman. Wilson has two stepchildren, Colin and Elizabeth Hanks. Wilson has one grandchild, and two step-grandchildren.
River
Rita Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
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
The song "River" by Rita Wilson is a cover of Joni Mitchell's classic song "River". The lyrics suggest a desire to escape from the commercialization of Christmas and find solace in nature. The opening lines describe the typical Christmas preparations, with people cutting down trees and putting up decorations. However, the singer wishes that she had a river to skate away on instead of being stuck in the bustling city. Unfortunately, it doesn't snow where she is and she is unable to find that escape.
Later in the song, the singer confesses her unhappiness and her failure to appreciate her partner's efforts to make her feel better. She acknowledges her toxic behavior and how it led to her losing the best partner she ever had. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the singer's desire to escape her current situation by skating away on a river.
The song's themes of loneliness and longing make it a popular choice during the holiday season, as it speaks to the emotional turmoil that can accompany this time of year. The song is a poignant reminder that no matter how much joy and love is shared during the holiday season, many people still struggle with loneliness and unfulfilled desires.
Line by Line Meaning
It's coming on Christmas
The holiday season is approaching
They're cutting down trees
People are preparing for the holiday by cutting down trees for decoration
They're putting up reindeer
Decorations in the form of reindeer are being put up
And singing songs of joy and peace
People are celebrating Christmas with songs of happiness and tranquility
Oh I wish I had a river
The singer wishes for something that would offer escape and freedom
I could skate away on
The ideal thing would provide a mode of transportation to go far away from her problems
But it don't snow here
Her current location doesn't have the necessary landscape for her desired escape solution
It stays pretty green
The place she lives is lush with plants and vegetation, not covered in snow
I'm going to make a lot of money
The singer has plans to become wealthy
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
She intends to leave her current situation behind once she has achieved financial success
I wish I had a river so long
The singer desires a way to travel far, far away from her problems
I would teach my feet to fly
She wishes to fly away from her current issues
I made my baby cry
The singer regrets causing sadness to someone she loves
He tried hard to help me
The person she made cry tried to assist her in some way
You know, he put me at ease
Her partner helped provide a sense of calm for her
And he loved me so naughty
Despite her flaws, he still loved her
Made me weak in the knees
His love made her feel weak in the knees, or deeply affected her
I'm so hard to handle
She acknowledges that she may be difficult to deal with
I'm selfish and I'm sad
She admits to being self-centered and depressed
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
She has lost someone she deeply loved and valued
That I ever had
This person was the most important to her
I made my baby say goodbye
Her actions caused the person she loved to leave
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind