# Who do you think best sang "Both Sides Now"... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2015, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683 "2015-11-27T05:09:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/1 "2015-11-27T05:09:03Z")
…besides Joni Mitchel and Judy Collins? Too many male and female artists to youtube, but I remember Englebert Humperdinck and Andy Williams gave very nice renditions. Also Niel Diamond. And also I’d like to share one version by a local artist (Lester Demetillo) while doing a medley: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pEPy1ebvB7Q/hqdefault.jpg "Lester Demetillo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEPy1ebvB7Q) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/2 "2015-11-27T05:13:18Z")
I like Cassandra Wilson with Pat Martino - [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeF1-psJvbc). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/3 "2015-11-27T14:38:56Z")
The sad version Mitchell did later, the one used in _Love, Actually_, is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/4 "2015-11-27T21:25:54Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The sad version Mitchell did later, the one used in _Love, Actually_, is amazing. The really sad part is how destroyed her lungs were by that time with her smoking. Lines that she sang in one breath in the original, she had to divide into two or even three. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/5 "2015-11-27T22:10:29Z")
There’s [this overblown version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8BoofqbA8g) by Roger Whitaker, which I’m ashamed to say I liked at one time about 40 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/6 "2015-11-27T22:17:39Z")
[Clannad with Paul Young](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffUng9bK4zg) is my go-to version. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/7 "2015-11-27T23:06:23Z")
Funny that someone should ask this question…I think I have more different versions of this song than any other song. Jason Falkner has a great version, and I also really like Neil Diamond’s version mentioned in the OP. Of all the versions I’ve heard, my least favorite is probably Natalie Cole’s. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/8 "2015-11-28T01:44:35Z")
For me, no reason to listen to anyone but Judy Collins’ first recording. Mitchell’s versions are pretty but too mannered, and everyone else is pretending to understand it. But I can listen to Roger Whitaker without getting too upset. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/9 "2015-11-28T06:29:16Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Funny that someone should ask this question…I think I have more different versions of this song than any other song. Jason Falkner has a great version, and I also really like Neil Diamond’s version mentioned in the OP. Of all the versions I’ve heard, my least favorite is probably Natalie Cole’s. A song with distinctly feminine lyrics would find such a big attraction from male artists. You get the feeling they all need to squeeze in their own versions. I like Glen Campbell’s personal stamp on his. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/10 "2015-11-28T21:40:42Z")
Mary Hopkin ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/11 "2015-11-28T22:24:38Z")
I always thought Joni Mitchell sounded like Julia Child being forced to sing. Collins for the win, I suppose, but I really hated that song way back then. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/12 "2015-11-29T02:12:33Z")
Dave Van Ronk. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ysyB6uFwAk4/maxresdefault.jpg "Dave Van Ronk - Clouds (Both Sides Now) | Joni Mitchell cover") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysyB6uFwAk4) ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-think-best-sang-both-sides-now/738683/13 "2015-11-29T04:34:03Z")
This is on my very short list of “songs I would make a deal with the evil-universe FSM to have written.” Love Joni Mitchell, but there have been a few mentioned here I haven’t heard yet.