Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Jim Bernadez

14 Jan, 2022

Joni Mitchell’s Blue, one of the greatest albums of all time, by one of the greatest artists of all time, is 50 years old!

Although 50 years old, Blue is an album that never gets old. Lyrically and musically simple, emotionally and existentially complex, the compositions serve to give us a glimpse into Joni Mitchell’s raw and honest introspections on love, loss, and evolution. In this article, I will discuss Mitchell’s legendary album, including my deep dive into my three favorite songs. Later, I will tell you about a couple of amazing collaborators who contributed their talents to Blue.

Who is Joni Mitchell?

Joni Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson, on November 7, 1943, in Alberta, Canada. Inspired by a childhood friend, a piano prodigy, she began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. In addition to piano, when she was a teen, she taught herself how to play the guitar on a baritone ukulele. Aside from her music talents, young Roberta was also an amazing painter. From a very young age, she was recognized for her talents in drawing and painting, a life-long pastime. She would later leverage her painting talents to create her own album covers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CPf4wOjCtY

Polio and Religion

When Mitchell was just nine years old, she contracted polio (poliomyelitis), an infectious disease that was often debilitating and deadly. Already disenchanted with the church at such a young age, she was able to recognize elements in Bible stories that didn’t add up. When she asked her teachers, nobody was able to explain them to her. Despite her distrust in church and God, during her illness she made a pact with God that if she could walk again, she would return. Then, with early treatment and her mother’s attentive care, Mitchell quickly recovered from the disease and joined the church choir. In adulthood, she credited the disease for her “artistic sensitivities.”

Twists and Turns Before The First Breakthrough

Mitchell experience a number of twists and turns in her personal life before making some headway in her musical career. In 1964, she dropped out of art college and, shortly thereafter, discovered she was pregnant with a baby, fathered by an ex-boyfriend. Her new boyfriend at the time, Chuck Mitchell proposed and promised to care for her and her baby. Soon after the birth of her first daughter, Mitchel made the difficult decision to give her up for adoption. Afterwards, following the dissolution of her marriage with Chuck, she put more effort into her music.

Finally, in 1966, at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, Joni Mitchell experienced the first breakthrough of her legendary career. Then an unknown, she took the stage after an introduction by one her idols, Grammy-winning artist, Judy Collins. A little fish in a big bowl, she was poised to prove herself in front of heavy-hitting artists such as Tim Hardin, Odetta, and Judy Collins herself.

Mitchell opened her set with “Michael from Mountains,” an original song. By the end of the first verse, she had the restless audience eating from the palm of her hand. As fellow performer and artist Lachlan MacLearn recalls, at the end of her performance, “For at least five seconds the place was dead-silent, 10 to 15 thousand people, and then a huge release of cheers and applause.”

Body of Work and Accolades

From 1968 to 2007, Joni Mitchell recorded and released 19 studio albums. She is the recipient of many awards and accolades. Some of them include:

  • Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee (1981)
  • Nine Grammy Awards
    • Including 2002 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Billboard Century Award (1995)
  • Kennedy Center Honors (December 2021)
  • MusiCares Person of the Year (2022)
  • Grammy nomination for Best Historical Album for Joni Mitchell Archives, Volume 1 (2022)

About Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Blue is Joni Mitchell’s fourth studio album, released on June 22, 1971. Like most of her work, Mitchell produced and wrote the album herself. In addition to writing and producing, she plays all the piano and Appalachian dulcimer accompaniments heard on the album. Stephen Stills (of Crosby, Stills, and Nash) and James Taylor, among other musicians, contributed their talents to the project.

Blue’s Success

Although Joni Mitchell’s Blue only peaked at #15 on the Billboard 200, it was a huge commercial and critical success. Many publications consider it one of the greatest albums of all time. It ranks at #3 on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Blue is also NPR’s choice for the greatest album of all time by a female artist.

Critical Turning Point

Joni Mitchell’s Blue marks a turning point in her career and personal life. After releasing her 1970 album, Ladies of the Canyon, Mitchell sought respite from the chaos that accompanied being rich and famous in Los Angeles. In her own words, she felt “isolated, starting to feel like a bird in a gilded cage.” Fame was at odds with her desire to have a normal life: “You can’t move freely. I like to live, be on the street, to be in a crowd.”

Exiled on Crete

Stress in her love life with Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young), coupled with the pressures of Hollywood, she escaped to Europe. She traveled throughout Greece, Spain, and France before taking exile on the island of Crete. Laid-back life and the people she met in Crete provided Mitchell the head space to reflect and the inspiration she needed to return to songwriting. Among the songs she penned while living there, was “Carey,” inspired by an American chef living on the island, whom she dated for a short time. During a trip to Paris, she wrote “California”, fueled by homesickness.

Returning Home to James Taylor

After a few months in Europe, she returned to Canada in July of 1970, reuniting and beginning a romantic relationship with James Taylor. By 1971, Mitchell and Taylor were back in California and began working on their respective albums, Mitchell’s Blue and Taylor’s Mud Slide Slim and The Blue Horizon. At the same time, their friend, Carole King, was working on her album, Tapestry.

A Trifecta of Talent

Creative forces overlapped and the three friends contributed to each other’s albums. Taylor recorded his version of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” for his album. For Joni Mitchell’s Blue, he played guitar on “California,” “All I Want,” and “A Case of You”. For King’s Tapestry, Mitchell and Taylor provided backing vocals on “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”.

No Faking on Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Soon after their recordings with Carole King, Taylor and Mitchell broke up. Heartbroken, Mitchell channeled her pain into finishing the album. The result was an album that was just as raw, stripped back, and honest as Joni Mitchell’s state of mind. While speaking about the album in an interview, Mitchell stated, “I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world, and I couldn’t,” to paraphrase, pretend to be strong and happy.

My 3 Favorite Tracks

Below, I will dive deep into my 3 favorite tracks from Joni Mitchell’s Blue and then tell you about a couple of notable people behind the album. Unlike many other artists’ albums, there are no fillers on Blue. Every song on Blue is beautifully crafted. It was difficult to pick just three, but here they are:

  • “My Old Man”
  • “River”
  • “Case of You”

“My Old Man”

The first of my three favorite tracks is “My Old Man.” Mitchell wrote “My Old Man” during her love affair with Graham Nash, who is mostly known for being a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Like Mitchell, he is a prominent artist in the folk-rock genre. She never spoke of Nash as the song’s topic, but her description of him in the first verse is fitting, especially the second line:

“My old man

He’s a singer in the park

He’s a walker in the rain

He’s a dancer in the dark”

https://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=159

In the second verse, Mitchell metaphorically describes her “old man”, reinforcing speculation that Nash is the topic of the song: “He’s the warmest chord I ever heard. Play that warm chord, play and stay baby.”

In the chorus of “My Old Man,” she goes on to brag about her happiness and that the strength of their relationship:

“We don’t need no piece of paper

From the city hall

Keeping us tied and true

My old man Keeping away my blues”

When her old man is away Mitchell feels lonely and “me and them lonesome blues collide.” His absence creates a void in her life, expressed by the lines, “The bed’s too big, the frying pan’s too wide.” In the third verse she expresses her comfort and relief when he returns as “he takes me in his loving arms, and he tells me all his troubles and he tells me all my charms.”

Mitchell-Nash Breakup

Despite the love that Mitchell expresses in “My Old Man,” her relationship with Nash did not last long. In the early days of her exile on Crete, she sent a telegram (what’s that?) to Nash, saying, “If you hold sand too tightly in your hand, it will run through your fingers. Love, Joan.” When he received the telegram he was at her home, installing a new kitchen floor.

“River”

My next favorite track, “River,” is a simple composition, with Mitchell providing her own piano accompaniment. It borrows the unmistakable melody from “Jingle Bells,” featured at the opening and ending of the song. It’s not considered a Christmas song, but rather a simple and powerful reminder of an unshakable loneliness that can afflict some of us during the supposed peace and joy of Christmas time:

“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”

https://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=8

At the time Mitchell was living in California, busying herself with work, which is reflected in the following lyrics:

“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”

“Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on” is repeated in every verse of the song, symbolic of an unforgettable and unshakeable loneliness. She can’t skate away from it on a frozen river; literally in Los Angeles and figuratively anywhere.

So Far, 847 Covers

Although “River” was not a single from Joni Mitchell’s Blue, it is one of her most popular songs. According to her website, there are 847 cover versions of “River”. It is one of the most covered songs in history. Some of the artists that covered “River” include:

  • Tori Amos
  • Sara Bareilles
  • Rosanne Cash
  • Herbie Hancock
  • Don Henley
  • Ellie Goulding
  • Barry Manilow
  • Aimee Mann
  • Sarah McLachlan
  • Idina Menzel
  • Pentatonix
  • James Taylor

“Case of You”

Last, but definitely not the least of my favorites, is “Case of You”. As with the two songs above, ”Case of You” was not a single, but it was the B-side to “California,” released in October of 1971.

Graham Nash a Case?

Like “My Old Man,” “Case of You” is also rumored to be about Graham Nash. If true, “Case of You” expresses a changed perspective in that relationship. The love is still there, but “Case of You” touches on the toxicity of her relationship with Nash. Many people misinterpret the song as a beautiful, sweet declaration of love. She’s still very much in love with him, but she acknowledges he’s not entirely good for her. Alcohol is the obvious metaphor in this song. You drink it, if flows through your blood, makes you feel good, but too much of a good thing leads to painful results.

In the second verse Mitchell draws (no pun intended) a parallel between the Canada in her blood and Nash in her blood:

“I drew a map of Canada

Oh Canada

With your face sketched on it twice

Oh you’re in my blood like holy wine

You taste so bitter and so sweet.”

https://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=181

Like an alcoholic drink she consumed, Nash is flowing through her blood. And like alcohol, it’s bittersweet – sweet because of the love she feels, but bitter because of the toxicity he brings. In the chorus Mitchell admits she was never swept off her feet in love:

“Oh I could drink a case of you darling

Still I’d be on my feet

Oh I would still be on my feet”

A Toxic Warning

In the second to last verse Mitchell recalls a conversation with a woman who seems to know Nash very well. The lyrics allude to a familial relationship between Nash and this woman:

“I met a woman

She had a mouth like yours

She knew your life

She knew your devils and your deeds

And she said

‘Go to him, stay with him if you can

But be prepared to bleed’”

While she encouraged Mitchell’s relationship with him, she warns of his demons – his toxic tendencies and the pain he can cause.

Covers and Soundtracks

As detailed on Mitchell’s website, many artists recorded their own covers of “Case of You”, including:

  • Tori Amos
  • K.D. Lang
  • Prince
  • Rufus Wainwright
  • Diana Krall
  • Michell Branch
  • James Blake

“Case of You” was used in a handful of film and TV projects including the films Truly, Madly, Deeply and Practical Magic, as well as the television shows Chicago Hope and Parenthood.

Notable People behind Joni Mitchell’s Blue

When writing about my favorite albums, I like to bring attention to some of the people behind the scenes. Naturally, as consumers of music, we oftentimes only focus on the album artist and their music. Just about every album, in addition to the artist, has a team behind the scenes. This team can consist of collaborating artists, songwriters, composers, producers, mixers, engineers, musicians, and backup singers who are often overlooked. These people working behind the scenes help shape your listening experience and are often the executors of an artist’s vision. With that being said, I’d like to bring your attention to the contributions of singer-songwriter, James Taylor, and engineer Henry Lewy.

James Taylor, Singer-Songwriter and Musician

Many of you know who James Taylor is, but you may or may not know about his significant contributions to Joni Mitchell’s Blue album. He is an American singer-songwriter and musician, very much in the vein of Joni Mitchell. Like Mitchell, he began his recording career in 1968. Over the years he recorded 20 studio albums and sold over 100 million records worldwide. Taylor is still an active singer-songwriter. His most recent album, American Standard, was released in February of 2020 and debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2021, he received a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. As a contributing musician on Joni Mitchell’s Blue, he plays acoustic guitar on three songs: “Case of You”, “California”, and “All I Want.”

When Mitchell returned to Canada from Crete in 1970, to perform at Toronto’s Mariposa Folk Festival, she reconnected with Taylor and they started dating. Early in 1971 they were back in Los Angeles, working alongside one another on their respective solo albums. His album, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, includes his cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” featuring Mitchell on backing vocals. Alongside Mitchell, he also provided backing vocals for “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” on King’s Tapestry album.

James Taylor’s Awards & Accolades

Taylor is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including:

  • 7 Grammy Awards
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 2000
  • Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, 2000
  • #84 on Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Artists of All time
  • Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • Kennedy Center Honors

Henry Lewy, Engineer

Henry Lewy, originally from Germany, was an American sound engineer and producer. He moved to the US with his family at the age of 16, after escaping Germany’s Nazi regime. Throughout his career, Lewy worked with a lot of major artists, including Stephen Bishop, Joan Armatrading, Van Morrison, Joan Baez, Minnie Riperton, Van Morrison, and Neil Young.

Lewy first met Joni Mitchell while working with Crosby, Stills, and Nash. He started working with Mitchell as an engineer on her second album, Clouds (1969). He often served as both engineer and producer on many of Mitchell’s albums. Lewy and Mitchell’s long-lasting collaboration and friendship continued well into the 80s.

Mitchell-Lewy Collabs

Mitchell and Lewy collaborated on at least a dozen albums. Some of those albums include:

  • Clouds (1969)
  • Ladies of the Canyon (1970)
  • Blue (1971)
  • Court and Spark (1974)
  • The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975)
  • Hejira (1976)

In a 1982 interview for Music Connection, an LA based publication, Lewy said of Mitchel, “She’s the only true genius I’ve ever met.”

Lewy died in April 2006, just before his 80th birthday.

Your Collection Needs a Little Blue

When Joni Mitchell’s Blue was released 50 years ago, it became an instant classic. Fans were captivated by her beautifully crafted songs and were able to connect to Mitchell’s work on a personal level because of its raw honesty. Blue is a must-have for any music collector. For the aspiring artists, it is a masterclass in songwriting and performance.