# Any Joni Mitchell fans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 17, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516 "2007-09-17T18:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/1 "2007-09-17T18:11:51Z")
What’s your favorite song? I’m looking to expand my JM catalog. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/2 "2007-09-17T18:13:39Z")
Been listening to early Joni Mitchell for 30 years now and I never get tired of it. Not a big fan of her later stuff (and by later, I mean post-1975). I love the first four albums, but the first two the most. What do you already know? ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/3 "2007-09-17T18:15:55Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Been listening to early Joni Mitchell for 30 years now and I never get tired of it. Not a big fan of her later stuff (and by later, I mean post-1975). I love the first four albums, but the first two the most. What do you already know? [/QUOTE] The three MP3s I have are **Both Sides Now** , **Help Me** , and **Big Yellow Taxi**. I was looking to buy some more, but don’t want to buy whole albums. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/4 "2007-09-17T18:20:25Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] What’s your favorite song? I’m looking to expand my JM catalog. [/QUOTE] _Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire_, no, _People’s Parties_, or _Cactus tree_, wait, _Carey_, but then there’s _Chelsea Morning_ (did you know Chelsea Clinton was named for that song?) oh! oh! _Free Man in Paris_. Or any of [these.](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/joni+mitchell/) Sorry, I can’t decide. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/5 "2007-09-17T18:21:59Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] _Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire_, no, _People’s Parties_, or _Cactus tree_, wait, _Carey_, but then there’s _Chelsea Morning_ (did you know Chelsea Clinton was named for that song?) oh! oh! _Free Man in Paris_. Or any of [these.](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/joni+mitchell/) Sorry, I can’t decide. [/QUOTE] You know, I have the feeling that if I do buy the whole albums I won’t be disappointed in the least bit. Her voice is truly an instrument. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/6 "2007-09-17T18:25:18Z")
Big fan, here. I’ve seen her several times, from her hippie days to her tour for _Court and Spark_, where she looked like a lawyer in a three piece suit. Favorite songs: _Rainy Night House I Had a King The Gallery Morning Morgantown Song for Sharon Court and Spark Carey Little Green Urge for Going_ There’s a lovely recording of her 1970 concert with James Taylor, at the Royal Albert Hall, floating around. They sing a duet of _Close Your Eyes_ that is transcendent. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/7 "2007-09-17T18:25:49Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] but don’t want to buy whole albums. [/QUOTE] Seriously, reconsider this idea. As albums, the tracks work together as a whole. On _Song to a Seagull_, there isn’t a single track amiss, and nor is there one on _Clouds_. _Blue_ tells a wistful story (though there is one dodgy Christmas song on it). Really, get the albums - they’re really cheap on iTunes. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/8 "2007-09-17T18:26:49Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] The three MP3s I have are **Both Sides Now** , **Help Me** , and **Big Yellow Taxi**. I was looking to buy some more, but don’t want to buy whole albums. [/QUOTE] Based on that, I’d recommend: Chelsea Morning The Gallery Carey California Free Man in Paris You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire (interesting blend of sweet, breezy music and dark, grim lyrics) In France They Kiss on Main Street Most of these were radio hits, either Top 40 or FM-progressive. Unlike **jjimm** , I’m a huge fan of Joni’s later, jazzier and more exploratory music, but it’s pretty different from the songs you mentioned. ETA: Wow, the tide turned while I was writing that post. They’re right. Get the albums. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/9 "2007-09-17T19:00:46Z")
I enjoy her live collection, Miles of Aisles, recorded with Tom Scott’s band. I was at one of the shows from which it was compiled. For studio stuff, I like Blue and Court and Spark best. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/10 "2007-09-17T19:38:00Z")
I’m not a fan, but I liked a lot of her stuff. My favorite has always been “A Case of You.” I’m not familiar with her music post-1974 or so. I’ve heard (and I guess read on this thread) that it’s jazz-oriented. Overall, I’m not. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/11 "2007-09-17T19:44:08Z")
Fan here. Saw her interviewed. Laments production influences on artistry. Favorite: **Big Yellow Taxi**. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/12 "2007-09-17T20:32:51Z")
[QUOTE=Crotalus] I enjoy her live collection, Miles of Aisles, recorded with Tom Scott’s band. I was at one of the shows from which it was compiled. For studio stuff, I like Blue and Court and Spark best. [/QUOTE] Circle Games makes me cry every time. I remember little Kid Kalhoun saying, “Mommy! Play the Painted Ponies!!” ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/13 "2007-09-17T20:36:25Z")
Big yellow taxi Woodstock Carey Circle game Raised on robbery ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/14 "2007-09-17T21:11:24Z")
Twisted, Court and Spark, Circle Game ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/15 "2007-09-18T01:22:59Z")
If you want to try one example of her later jazzier stuff, try downloading **Coyote**. Bass god Jaco Pastorius was on this and most of her tracks in those days. I like both early Joni and Pastorius-era Joni, but for different reasons… the former because I’m an old hippie and the latter because of the jazz influence. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/16 "2007-09-18T01:32:18Z")
Acccording to my iPod, my favorite Joni Mitchell songs are “Carey,” “Coyote,” “Free Man in Paris,” “Goodbye Porkpie Hat” (actually a Mingus tune with her lyrics), “Furry Sings the Blues,” and “You Turn Me On I’m A Radio.” Ah, objectivity. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/17 "2007-09-18T01:40:47Z")
Coyote. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/18 "2007-09-18T09:37:42Z")
I agree with getting any of her earlier albums, to start with anyway. One of my favourites is _For the Roses_. [QUOTE=jjimm] _Blue_ tells a wistful story (though there is one dodgy Christmas song on it). [/QUOTE] Are you referring to **River**? Although the lead-in is eight bars of (stylised) Jingle Bells, it’s a song about heartbreak, not Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/19 "2007-09-18T10:00:36Z")
As soon as you mentioned her name, I was humming “they paved Paradise - put up a parking lot…” Quality singer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516/20 "2007-09-18T10:02:33Z")
My favorite song of hers is _Help Me_ from Court and Spark. It has a great bridge and Wilton Felder of the Crusaders plays bass on it (and the rest of the album, I think.) He actually is the saxophone player in the Crusaders but he plays bass on Court and Spark. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-joni-mitchell-fans/419516.md?page=2)