I know when you think of Joni Mitchell you think 'hippy' music, but I don't see it. She may have had some lovey dovey flower power songs, but not many. A lot of her lyrics are powerful.. emotional. I'm big on lyrics today, so I'm gonna give you a couple of my favourite songs from her. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire Cold Blue Steel out of money One eye for the beat police Sweet Fire calling "You can't deny me Now you know what you need" Underneath the jungle gym Hollow-grey-fire-escape-thief Looking for Sweet Fire Shadow of Lady Release "Come with me I know the way" she says "It's down, down, down the dark ladder Do you want to contact somebody first Leave someone a letter You can come now Or you can come later" A wristwatch, a ring, a downstairs screamer Edgy-black cracks of the sky "Pin-cushion-prick- Fix this poor bad dreamer!" "Money" cold shadows reply Pawnshops crisscrossed and padlocked Corridors spit on prayers and pleas Sparks fly up from Sweet Fire Black soot of Lady Release "Come with me I know the way" she says "It's down, down, down the dark ladder Do you want to contact somebody first Does it really matter If you come now Or if you come on later?" Red water in the bathroom sink Fever and the scum brown bowl Blue Steel still begging But it's indistinct Someone's Hi-Fi drumming Jelly Roll Concrete concentration camp Bashing in veins for peace Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire Fall into Lady Release "Come with me I know the way" she says "It's down, down, down the dark ladder Do you want to contact somebody first I mean what does it really matter You're going to come now Or you're going to come later" See You Sometime Where are you now Are you in some hotel room Does it have a view? Are you caught in a crowd Or holding some honey Who came on to you? Why do you have to be so jive O.K. hang up the phone It hurts But something survives Though it's undermined I'd still like to see you sometime I'm feeling so good And my friends all tell me That I'm looking fine I run in the woods I spring from the boulders Like a mama lion I'm not ready to Change my name again But you know I'm not after A piece of your fortune And your fame 'Cause I tasted mine I'd just like to see you sometime Pack your suspenders I'll come meet your plane No need to surrender I just want to see you again We're in for more rain I could sure use some sunshine on my apple trees It seems such a shame We start out so kind and end so heartlessly I couldn't take them all on then With a headful of questions and hypes So when the hopes got so slim I just resigned But I'd still like to see you sometime I'd sure like to see you ELECTRICITY The Minus is loveless He talks to the land And the leaves fall And the pond over-ices She don't know the system, Plus She don't understand She's got all the wrong fuses and splices She's not going to fix it up Too easy The masking tape tangles It's sticky and black And the copper Proud headed Queen Lizzie Conducts little charges That don't get charged back Well the technical manual's busy She's not going to fix it up too easy And she holds out her flashlight And she shines it on me She wants me to tell her What the trouble might be Well I'm learning It's peaceful With a good dog and some trees Out of touch with the breakdown Of this century They're not going to fix it up Too easy We once loved-together And we floodlit that time Input-output-electricity But the lines overloaded And the sparks started flying And the loose wires Were lashing out at me She's not going to fix that up Too easy But she holds out her candle And she shines it in And she begs him to show her How to fix it again While the song that he sang her To soothe her to sleep Runs all through her circuits Like a heartbeat She's not going to fix it up Too easy YOU TURN ME ON, I'M A RADIO If you're driving into town With a dark cloud above you Dial in the number Who's bound to love you Oh honey you turn me on I'm a radio I'm a country station I'm a little bit corny I'm a wildwood flower Waving for you Broadcasting tower Waving for you And I'm sending you out This signal here I hope you can pick it up Loud and clear I know you don't like weak women You get bored so quick And you don't like strong women 'Cause they're hip to your tricks It's been dirty for dirty Down the line But you know I come when you whistle When you're loving and kind But if you've got too many doubts If there's no good reception for me Then tune me out, 'cause honey Who needs the static It hurts the head And you wind up cracking And the day goes dismal From "Breakfast Barney" To the sign-off prayer What a sorry face you get to wear I'm going to tell you again now If you're still listening there If you're driving into town With a dark cloud above you Dial in the number Who's bound to love you If you're lying on the beach With the transistor going Kick off the sandflies honey The love's still flowing If your head says forget it But your heart's still smoking Call me at the station The lines are open WOMAN OF HEART AND MIND I am a woman of heart and mind With time on her hands No child to raise You come to me like a little boy And I give you my scorn and my praise You think I'm like your mother Or another lover or your sister Or the queen of your dreams Or just another silly girl When love makes a fool of me After the rush when you come back down You're always disappointed Nothing seems to keep you high Drive your bargains Push your papers Win your medals Fuck your strangers Don't it leave you on the empty side I'm looking for affection and respect A little passion And you want stimulation-nothing more That's what I think But you know I'll try to be there for you When your spirits start to sink All this talk about holiness now It must be the start of the latest style Is it all books and words Or do you really feel it? Do you really laugh? Do you really care? Do you really smile When you smile? You criticize and you flatter You imitate the best And the rest you memorize You know the times you impress me most Are the times when you don't try When you don't even try Oh man. Hahahaha. You guys are gonna hate me. Thats a lot of lyrics.
I've got "Blue" in a nice vinyl pressing.. I enjoy that album a lot from time to time.. I prefer her songs when it's just her and an acoustic guitar.. Very nice stripped-down, rustic sound.
Yes, I agree Jim, I like her stripped down songs best. "Blue" is one of my favorites by Joni. She is such a talented songwriter/singer. I'm a huge fan.
Jim!! It must be the same Jim because I don't know many people that would say "I've got 'Blue' in a nice vinyl pressing. Plus I know you have more vinyl than most people. Anyways, I have much love for Joni Mitchell.
Joni mitchell is the godess of emotions...wow...i love her sooooo much...her songs express ..for me...and i'm sure for others...experiences and feelings that i cannot and could not ever put in to words and yet she gets it exactly right....she's such a wonderfully talented human...if your a joni fan and you haven't heard travelogue i'd recommend it to you..she's re-done a lot of her songs with an orchestra and her voice is much deeper and velvety..it's a beautiful album....also i think a lot of joni's stuff is very 'hippy'... her idea's and her ability to delve so deep in to herself and in to life..and how she questions it all...and how she answers her curiosity and expresses it all within her music and her voice....The last time i saw richard is a beautiful track....i love it at towards the end of the song where she goes...."..get my goooooooooooooorgeous wings and fly away..only a cocoon these dark cafe days.."..infact the whole album is just ...stardust!!!!! Joni overwhelms me
I love what she represents and she's a great songwriter... I like Richie Havens' cover of Woodstock on the By The Grace Of The Sun album...
i love her, i think shes amazing and has a beautiful voice, i cant help but love california, it makes me think of home, also ive got "blue" too, not too good a condition though... peacelove
I have always loved Joni. She lived as a child in my home town. Joni had an art show in there a couple years back... and i went on opening night, because, well... she's Joni, i didn't want to miss it. Anyway, fairly early in the night, I happen upon her having an arguement with the curator of the museum. The curator wouldn't let Joni smoke in the building, as it is not illegal to smoke in a public place in this city. Joni says "thats bullshit"... to which the curator offers another reason why she can't smoke in the building.... "it would damage the art work". Joni threw back her head laughing and said " I painted the artwork... i smoked while i painted it." And then, she lit a cigarrette. Gotta love her.
