BCB 100 - Joni Mitchell

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geoffcowgill
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BCB 100 - Joni Mitchell

Postby geoffcowgill » 17 Jul 2006, 15:52

Favorite Album - Blue

Favorite Song - "Amelia"

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Mozz
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Postby Mozz » 17 Jul 2006, 15:55

Like Bob Dylan, except female and with a better sense of melody.

Album: Changes on a monthly basis. At the minute, it's Hejira

Song: 'River'
Last edited by Mozz on 17 Jul 2006, 16:00, edited 2 times in total.

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Jimbly
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Postby Jimbly » 17 Jul 2006, 15:57

Hejira

Amelia
So Long Kid, Take A Bow.

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Mike Boom
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Postby Mike Boom » 17 Jul 2006, 16:08

Album - Don Juans Reckless Daughter
Song - The Last Time I Saw Richard

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Matt Wilson
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Postby Matt Wilson » 17 Jul 2006, 16:08

Fantastic run of albums from '70-'76 (her first two aren't bad either).

Great lyrics, fine melodies, interesting jazzy flourishes with Burundi drumming on some albums.

I've heard she thinks quite well of herself though.

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Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 17 Jul 2006, 16:13

Kingy wrote:Like Bob Dylan, except female and with a better sense of melody.


I love Joni's music as much as anyone. She's one of the greats. But let's be honest - the notion that she's the female equivalent to Dylan amounts to a bit of musical affirmative action, wouldn't you say? In truth she probably falls into about the top 20 or 30 all-time solo artists. Even her status as "greatest female artist of all time" is subject to challenge when one seriously considers Laura Nyro's greatness. But leaving behind the absurd instinct to quantify greatness - on its own terms her music is simply tremendous.

Favorite Album: Ladies of the Canyon

Favorite Song: Free Man in Paris
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Matt Wilson
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Postby Matt Wilson » 17 Jul 2006, 16:15

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:Laura Nyro's greatness


Now there's a few words you don't usually see together.

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brilleaux
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Postby brilleaux » 17 Jul 2006, 16:18

Album? "Blue"
"I am a dull and simple lad. Cannot tell water from champagne."

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Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 17 Jul 2006, 16:24

Matt Wilson wrote:I've heard she thinks quite well of herself though.


I'm pretty sure it's just the opposite, which makes me feel a bit guilty for being even in the least bit critical. Not that she'll ever read this, but should the magic of the Google search ever lead her here, I'd hate to deliver another blow to the self-esteem of an artist I truly love.
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Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 17 Jul 2006, 16:24

Matt Wilson wrote:
Davey The Fat Boy wrote:Laura Nyro's greatness


Now there's a few words you don't usually see together.


At my house you do.
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Postby Matt Wilson » 17 Jul 2006, 16:27

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:
Matt Wilson wrote:I've heard she thinks quite well of herself though.


I'm pretty sure it's just the opposite


I don't know why you'd say that, Davey. One can hardly read even a magazine article about her without some allusion to the fact that she's pretty big headed.

Have you read Hoskyn's new Laurel Canyon book? Crosby said she's about as humble as Mussolini.

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Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 17 Jul 2006, 16:35

Matt Wilson wrote:
Davey The Fat Boy wrote:
Matt Wilson wrote:I've heard she thinks quite well of herself though.


I'm pretty sure it's just the opposite


I don't know why you'd say that, Davey. One can hardly read even a magazine article about her without some allusion to the fact that she's pretty big headed.

Have you read Hoskyn's new Laurel Canyon book? Crosby said she's about as humble as Mussolini.


Very insecure people tend to come off as ego cases. People who are truly comfortable with themselves don't have to assert their importance.

In the case of Joni, I also know people who know her. They talk about her insecurity much more than they do her ego.
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Postby Clippernolan » 17 Jul 2006, 16:35

Album - Hmmm. Probably Hejira. I like accostic guitar Joni slightly, ever so slightly, better than piano Joni. This record has some interesting guitar lines to follow, with some great bass from Pastorius too. I like the feel of the record - it's stark and lush at the same time. I just don't know how she did it.

Song- One of my favourite songs of all time is "Free Man in Paris". But, I should say that one day we were heading out early and it was a sunny morniing, depsite how early it was. I put Hissing of Summer Lawns on and, as it turned out, "In France They Kiss On Main Street" was the perfect track for that moment, and memorably so. You know how it is. Part of the beauty of these kinds of things is that they're so rare, and unexpected. It's the kind of thing that keeps my love of music going.
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Postby toomanyhatz » 17 Jul 2006, 18:48

While perhaps she had something to do with earning her rep as part of the granola set, that shouldn't blind people to what a major, major songwriter she is. I've said before how much I like sexual frankness in songwriters, before Joni, if a female had that quality, it was usually from on their back. Joni was the first to treat feminine sexuality as different but equal. If she'd stopped after her first record, people would be talking about her in the way they do Judee Sill or Linda Perhacs. But the fact that she stuck around, grew musically, established her own voice with the tunings she devised on guitar, and released great record after great record, well...like Davey the Fat Boy says about Ray Charles, insult her around me and you're in for a fight.

Album - Court and Spark
Song - Coyote
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Jon K
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Postby Jon K » 17 Jul 2006, 19:02

Favourite Album: Hejira
Favourite Song: In France They Kiss On Main Street

Hard choice this as the three albums (Court and Spark/Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Hejira) Joni recorded in the mid seventies were as good as it got as regards singer songwriters for me at least.

Those three albums are just about perfect. I think Hejira is possibly the best album she ever did and that is saying something when you have a catalogue of albums like Joni Mitchell.
There is just something about Hejira for me and as for my favourite song well again In France They Kiss On Main Street just has that indefinable something It was also a single lifted from Hissing Of Summer Lawns but sadly singles like that rarely do anything chartwise...More's The Pity :D

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Postby andymacandy » 17 Jul 2006, 19:45

Jon K wrote:Favourite Album: Hejira
Favourite Song: In France They Kiss On Main Street

Hard choice this as the three albums (Court and Spark/Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Hejira) Joni recorded in the mid seventies were as good as it got as regards singer songwriters for me at least.

Those three albums are just about perfect. I think Hejira is possibly the best album she ever did and that is saying something when you have a catalogue of albums like Joni Mitchell.
There is just something about Hejira for me and as for my favourite song well again In France They Kiss On Main Street just has that indefinable something It was also a single lifted from Hissing Of Summer Lawns but sadly singles like that rarely do anything chartwise...More's The Pity :D

This could have been exactly my response too Jon.
I do love "C&S"(especially), "Blue" "Ladies" and "Hissing",
but really its Hejira by a street, and my favourite track is probably Coyote.
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Postby Sneelock » 17 Jul 2006, 19:51

albuum: Don Juan's Wreckless Daughter
maybe just cause there's more of it.

song:
win: Trouble Child
place: Amelia
show: Case of You

"female Dylan" doesn't even begin to describe her, for me.
Her musical arc from big hearted sensitive hippy chick to slouching, chainsmoking art lady is one of the richest I've ever put in my ears.

From 'Blue' to 'Mingus' I think it's all Grade A
sure, a little self concious HERE a little naive THERE but so what?
party on Garth!

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Postby andymacandy » 17 Jul 2006, 20:00

Sneelock wrote:

"female Dylan" doesn't even begin to describe her, for me.


I agree-its a very simplistic comparison.
I might even go as far as to say that I think she's a much more rounded artist than Dylan, but never hit his hights.Id have a job justifying that, I admit, but it was just a feeling.
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Sneelock

Postby Sneelock » 17 Jul 2006, 20:08

don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'm guilty of saying that. when I tell people they should hear her, they seem to think she's going to be like Jewel or something!

"female dylan" at least gives them some better idea.
I gave 'Travelouge' as a present to someone and told them that they needed to have it. I don't know if they ever even listened to it but maybe somebody will some day just the way "Blue" seemed to find me seemingly without much interest or effort on my part.

I got no problem with people calling her 'female dylan' or 'genius' or even a sack of shit as long as they talk about her. I'm amazed her reputation seems so exclusive to singers and songwriters and not to a generation of listeners. who cares, really? I think maybe she'll end up being like Monk or something. people will discover it and go "now, why haven't I ever heard of THAT?"

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Postby Jon K » 17 Jul 2006, 20:36

andymacandy wrote:
Jon K wrote:Favourite Album: Hejira
Favourite Song: In France They Kiss On Main Street

Hard choice this as the three albums (Court and Spark/Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Hejira) Joni recorded in the mid seventies were as good as it got as regards singer songwriters for me at least.

Those three albums are just about perfect. I think Hejira is possibly the best album she ever did and that is saying something when you have a catalogue of albums like Joni Mitchell.
There is just something about Hejira for me and as for my favourite song well again In France They Kiss On Main Street just has that indefinable something It was also a single lifted from Hissing Of Summer Lawns but sadly singles like that rarely do anything chartwise...More's The Pity :D

This could have been exactly my response too Jon.
I do love "C&S"(especially), "Blue" "Ladies" and "Hissing",
but really its Hejira by a street, and my favourite track is probably Coyote.

My only problem with picking a favourite album and song by Joni Mitchell is narrowing it down to one choice each. That run of albums from Blue I suppose through to and including Hejira would be hard put to beat by any artist.
I couldn't put my finger on what it is about Hejira but I do feel it to be a dark dense work. Even Coyote which is musically an upbeat song is incredibly dense lyrically. The words read like a good book they just draw you in.My favourite song on the whole album however has to be Song For Sharon. That song still sends shivers down my spine and is a song I return to regularly...Just superb :D


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