Artur Rubenstein made a lot of mistakes in his playing, especially in his later years, but the musicality was there and it really did not diminish the performance one iota...
In 1971 I went to a David Crosby, Graham Nash concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theater in Vancouver. The Q.E. theater is a huge concert hall and the two were dwarfed, sitting in one little corner of the stage with a bunch of guitars on stands behind them.. Well into the concert the crowd was delighted to have Joni make a surprise appearance and walk to center stage where a single microphone was set up. She said hi, told a little story of singing Woodstock in a cave, in Greece, and announced that the three of them were going to sing it now, Acapela. Crosby and Nash were still over on stage right, standing up to their microphones, when, Joni looked over and said something like, "It is a concert hall, why don't we step in front of the microphones and do it without an amp," Crosby and Nash gasped in disbelief as Mitchel stood there in front of a full house and filled the hall with the sweetest version of that song I have ever heard. Still gives me chills thinking about it.
She has so much talent .She also seems to have a good amount of joy in Her soul. It makes me happy just to be around when she talks,laughs, sings, or just passes along, good information.
In the spring of 1976 I met Joni in a natural foods store in Boulder CO. She was mindblowingly beautiful -- and very friendly. She looked just like the cover of the Clouds album. Joni was just so friendly and natural and meanwhile I totally froze up and couldn't talk while she was trying to get me to engage in small talk. She walked up to me and stood very close and told me I looked like someone she knew. All I could say was: "I look like someone YOU know?" She smiled and said:: "Yes." I replied: "I'm sorry you are mistaken." Then she said: "Are you sure you don't know me?." I said: "Yes." She said: "Well, that is just too bad then." She gave up and walked away. I found out later she was visiting the guitarist Robben Ford who was attending the Naropa Institute of Boulder. Joni was driving across country getting inspiration for Hejira. Anyway, even though I blew it by not being friendly with her I still got to stand right next to her in her personal space -- looking right in her eyes.
I'm 65 and have always considered Joni Mitchell one of the top composers in the world during the 20th century. Her depth and emotions in the lyrics mixed with the emphasis of guitar has always been amazing to me. Back when I was a young woman, I had a 2.5 octave range and loved to sing her music. Thank you for keeping her and others like her in the spotlight.
Hey 19! Oops 65, me too! Love our window of time...Younger than Beats, Hippie stream; now solid Dharma life. It’s timeless like us all. Music through old ears, vast archive.
I've been listening to her almost every day for so long, I can't even tell you how many decades. I'm 70. To me, her music is a treasure. I think people are going to be listening to her until the next big meteor hits and brings back the dinosaurs.
You know what I think we all love about your ability of being a music critic? its you leave critical out and the music lover in! My wife and I agree it's the charisma of you and your smile that says it all. I enjoy listening to what you have to say, I'm sure not all of the music you hear is your favorite but, we all resonate to a different frequency and groove to a different beat and you do a awesome way of explaining that and that which these talented artists find that thing they do to move us. Just as you do! Rock on and keep up the awesome work...make that the love of music!
Brian De Bold agreed... I only found these videos from Fil tonight... I’m an old prog lover, who doesn’t know anything about Wings of Pegasus, but this young gentleman is the real deal. I’m sold!👍
I agree but I also love Fil's technical knowledge of music and his respect for all these different artists. And yes, his smile is very endearing. Oh, and his hair. We love his hair too.
@@NuclearGrizzly That's the absurdity of this generation.There Was No Auto Tune Back Then.Joni Mitchell's voice is actually in tune.Back then, either you were in tune or you weren't.Even today, mostly it's people who can sing in tune who are getting the record contracts,not people who need auto tune.
@@josephdrach2276 A few years ago a kid in another band asked my singer that same question. She's a Julliard graduate. I thought I was going to have to pry her off of him. It got me wondering if millennials even know that it's possible to sing in tune without electronic wizardry. BTW...Later his guitar player asked me who did the relic job on my Les Paul. I told him I did. And it only took me 30 yrs.
@@NuclearGrizzly It's amazing.A generation that is at the same time cynical about how others sing in tune and have little patience to practice there instruments or practice singing.There is no magic technology that makes a fretless bass or a violin suddenly become easy to get perfectly in tune notes out of.Even marking the fingerboard has its limits.I bring this up because many instruments require that you listen to get the right pitch.Everything now has to be instant and electronic.I too get fed up with some of this generation.The pathetic "sampling"of other people's music instead of writing there own is too much.What happened to creativity?I better stop this rant.Your Les Paul is a treasure and if I played guitar instead of bass,I would get a Les Paul.Enjoy it.
I’ve always loved Joni Mitchell’s songs, but especially her voice and vocal style. It always feels like I’m riding on an autumn leaf in a gentle breeze as it slowly falls. Simple yet profoundly beautiful...
To describe someone as"unique" is very much overplayed today, but not in the case of Joni Mitchell. She has to be one of the most creative, innovative and creative musicians of all time. As an artist, absolutely unique!
Automatic like, brother. Joni is the master tuner. Joni used more tunings than most guitarists could dream of. One of the best songwriters ever. Blue was an absolute masterpiece.
This concert included a version of All I Want She told the audience it was a work in progress! Its not the final version which makes the song so interesting! You can find it on RUclips check it ou you wont be disappointed!
Joni made it look so easy. Smooth and laid back and beautiful. And listening to her in 2019, the music is just as relevant and engaging and current as it ever was. I love how well her compositions have aged.
So very true, Hazel. The quality and innovation in her music stands heads and shoulders above 99% of everyone else. Her lyrics, that is, her observations and opinions on the goings on in life and in her life specifically, resonated deeply in me as a teen and 20-something young man growing and evolving into the person I am. She broadened and expanded my perspective, she gave me things to consider and learn from, and she gave me music that not only entertained and engaged me, but became part of both the fabric and soundtrack of my life. Enduring the passings of David Bowie and Tom Petty were major turning points in my life, for they had been an integral if not familial part of my life and I shed many, many tears over their departures. I dread the day of Joni's passing, as the mere thought of such a thing brings more sadness and feelings of loss.
“So I sat out in the sun on a rock and I tuned my guitar to the sound of that day (...) I tuned to the crows and the seagulls, the sonic references available”
Her giggle on the line 'Birds and the bees' is like a central moment of the joy we as listeners are allowed to witness in her music. It is a privileged to share in her spirit as an artiste. She sold this song like no one else can do and I am mesmerised:)
Brought me to tears. Even Led Zep sung about her- Going To California with an aching in my heart. Someone told me there's a girl out there With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair. They say she plays guitar and cries and sings. We love you Joni!
That is amazing... when I listened to Going To California, Joni Mitchell was who I imagined in the song!!! I had no idea THAT was who THEY were thinking of too!!! That is really something, and I was brought to tears just now too.
I remember spending the whole bus journey home poring over the lyrics on the album cover when I bought …. was it Blue? Probably Ladies of the Canyon. A really good read. And then the joy of listening over and over and over.
My memorial video for my mom was soundtracked with this song. She was a musician and a 70's hippie woman. The song makes me just bawl, but in a good way, if that makes sense
Joni can move me like no other. Her voice is epic. Her lyrics, boy do we ever need to hear her tell people, stop destroying the environment. She transcends.
Very true; as a former performer, the rhing I miss the most is being able to sing these songs. ( not that I was Joni Mitchell,lol, I wasn't but my cover was good enough to get me signed). Every time I hear her sing, it likes a little bird in my heart that wants to fly but can't anymore ( thyroid cancer, my wings were clipped). She is my all time favorite performer.
In Joni's performance of this song in 2000, her voice changed to that of a mature woman, the lyric of this song takes on such a profoundly different meaning. To think she wrote it when she was so young is really incredible.
Good point. Joni's older voice is slow, seasoned and a little rough like real life. It reaches to my soul with a deeper meaning to me than her smooth voice of the '60's. Hearing her 2022 performance brought a tears to my eyes, probably because I am older now too. We are survivors.
I was in college when Joni arrived on the scene. I was an instant fan and still am. Her lyrical and melodic style as well as her guitar playing was so original and great I couldn't believe it. You might be surprised to know she considers herself a painter who also plays music. She is my favorite creative mind of the 20th century.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!... ONE OF MY FAV 60's/70's ARTIST EVER!!!!...I used to listen to Court n Spark so much when I was a teenage that I had it memorized. Joni's voice was like an angel...sadly she has been unable sing or speak since trying to recover from a brain aneurysm in 2015. This past Fall they had a tribute for her 75th birthday which she attended. Thanks Fil!!..you made my night!!...✌❤🤘
i didn't know that had happened. i wish she would look into hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). i figure if it works for stroke victims, it might work for aneurysm victims as well.
@@mjt11860 Not sure if it would... They're completely different maladies. A stroke is a blockage that breaks loose and travels to the brain, heart, or lungs. Whereas an aneurysm is a weak spot on a blood vessel that blows out, kinda like a bubble on a tire. I most certainly hope she finds the treatment she needs!
@@hashtag415 yes they r different in how they happen, but the results r basically the same: brain damage. if HBOT is useful in treating patients w/CTE, as well as stroke victims, it could help people who have had aneurysms.
Her albums “Blue” and “For The Roses” changed my life as a guitarist. I came out of myself and saw so many new possibilities. Thank you, Joni. And thank you Fil.
Again my era for this old lady. Thank you for her talent showcase! Words still ring true in 2022! You probably know she tuned her guitar in various unconventional ways!!
What a talent, sadly I never appreciated her in my younger years because I was all about heavy rock, my taste as I've aged has become much more eclectic, I appreciate fil how you have the obvious appreciation and respect, as a young guy that I wish I'd always had.
@So Angry That's how I really discovered Joni. Stuck at my aunt's house,wandered into my cousin's room and saw Hejira. I knew of Joni and liked all the songs I'd heard. Put it on the turntable...ok it was 1976..and I was mesmerized and in love and it was a done deal.
That's not a way to look at it. There's nothing sad about when you find an artist. My story is similar to yours but I just revel that I found an artist years later that I could get into from back in the day....Laura Nyro was the same story too. When we were young Joni wasn't high on our list of music with the likes of Zepplin, Tull, Yes, Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Airplane, the Doors...man we were swamped with great music.
@@Miatacrosser She was always high on my list at the time...but you're right. It doesn't matter when you discover her genius...just as long as you did !
Same thing kind of happened to me. Back in the day I used to like to smoke a little and spend a Saturday afternoon in the Tower Records store. One day this new Joni Mitchell compilation cd kept popping up everywhere I went in the store. Figured it was a sign and bought it. Absolutely stunned. Within a month I had every album she made. She has no peers.
"Song for Sharon" is a flat-out MASTERPIECE, one of her top 10, IMO, and that's really saying something, LOL!! For ANYONE who's basically experiencing Joni Mitchell, here, for the first time, or really only familiar with 60's Hippy Queen, Folkie-Joni, or, just a couple of her songs, PLEASE check THIS song out, for starters, to hear her incredible evolution as a TRUE, one of a kind, musical ARTISTÉ... PLEASE Forgive me! I CAN'T help that I LOVE Joni SO much, ESPECIALLY this song, & this particular era of her, LOL...😍👂🎶💕
🎵"Coyote's in a coffee shop staring a hole in his scrambled eggs he picks up my scent on his fingers while he's watching the waitress' legs. He's too far from the bay of Fundy from appaloosas and eagles and tides From air conditioned cubicles And the carbon ribbon rides..."🎶
@@lawrencetaylor4101 , coyotes are everywhere in my woodsy neck of Southern New England, but they are very secretive. I have been listening to them at night for almost 20 years, and yet I saw one for the first time just a month ago. Pretty cool, although nowhere near as cool as seeing a wolf in Yellowstone Park in November back in 1992.
Joni Mitchell is probably one of the greatest songwriters ever. She wrote Woodstock and didn't get to go to Woodstock. But sent Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and they performed her song Woodstock. She had to do a previous commitment in LA. During which time she was hanging out with David Geffen. She was always letting other people have hits with her songs. Understated and underrated. Not to mention a Hot.
@@stevenjgw9 It's gratifying that so many fans still exist for her great music; she is totally unique, and people still seem to need the inspiration she provides!
Crosby ,Still ,and Nash were not sent to Woodstock by Joni . She indeed wasn’t there ,but her and David were watching TV , and then she got it first handed ( what was happening) . She played it for CSN obviously after the concert, and they made it into a great rock anthem .
@@gregsmith5148 I didn't know that. I met David through my Uncle Peter Heine director of sales for Billboard Magazine at 9000 Sunset in Los Angeles California. David's office was down the street and around the corner. Both David and Peter had previously worked for Warner Brothers records. We went to a party for Mr. Geffen to celebrate the the beginning of Asylum records. David purchased advertising from Peter. It was the first party I had ever been to that had valet parking and was catered. I spent the whole afternoon in the swimming pool. The swimming pool had waterfalls, big rocks, and large rubber fish. He is a nice man. Incredible house.
one can rarely say that there will never be another like her. Much like Ella, Billy, Arethra and a couple of others, Joni is without a doubt in that small class of great great vocalists. Fantastic and a legend!!!
I grew up in the 60’s and am thankful to have had all the great music from that period. Joni is one of the greatest. She contracted polio in 1952 (the same year I did) and it affected the strength in her left arm and hand. Not having the strength and hand control to make complicated chords lead her use open/alternate tunings. Which do not require complicated fret hand control. She is a master of open/alternate tuning! And singing and song writing!
"you don't know what you've got until it's gone" could easily apply to the clubs of the 60's in Yorkville. But the people a little older than me that regularly dropped in to the Riverboat to see Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and others, tell me they now feel so lucky they had that period in their lives.
Joni's live version here of Both Sides Now is even more poignantly beautiful and moving than the wonderful album version. There's something in her timing and modulation and guitar playing that allows the song to truly breathe and flow over the audience. FAO Wings of Pegasus, your wise, inspiring and empathetic commentaries always do justice to your chosen artistes. You have a rare gift!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on such an underrated superstar... she just never wanted any part of the pop worship crowd, and was as humble as one could be. Her first album had more (really) great songs than many artists write in a lifetime...
Fil I just want to take the time to thank you for these videos! It makes me so happy as a musician that you highlight what makes the artists you showcase so exceptional. From their voices to their abilities with the instruments they play, and the history of their careers. You are keeping their music alive and hopefully introducing them to young and old generations for the first time. And for me it reminds me of why I wanted to play the guitar and piano in the first place. Everyone from Jerry Reed, Glen Campbell, Karen Carpenter, The Beatles, Heart...so many great artists and video clips. Thank you again for what I'm sure is a labor of love!
In 1969 American baby-boomer, hippy, pop culture at the time, a woman's "old man" referred to her live-in boy friend, i.e., her lover...the Yellow Taxi reference describes her boyfriend leaving her (i.e, has nothing to do with a Police car)......trust me - I'm an American (now aging) baby boomer from that generation...!
Not only that but the police cars in TO were not yellow, and she wouldn't have seen her father being taken away in one while a child since she was not a child in TOronto but rural Saskatchewan.
My goodness Fil. Jackson Brown the other day now Joni Mitchell. Fil are you trying to wring our emotional musical virtual tear ducts? I enjoy your breakdown of the music/playing. Joni is magical, as you know, thanks for featuring.
Not only have I always loved her songs, but you gotta recall what it was like playing with all the guys in 1969. She was never intimidated or cowed by her peers like Stephen Stills or Robbie Robertson. She was their equal in every way. Total confidence and ability to make her own artistic statement strongly without allowing for any disrespect. They weren't nice guys, really. Awesome. Tough lady
Another great video Fil your mention of the break between chest voice and head voice being a stylistic choice in Big Yellow Taxi is proven in Both Sides Now where she changes as smooth as silk. Awesome analysis of one of the most consummate singer/songwriters of all time.
I found this video about 4-5 years ago and immediately knew it was a legendary performance. A real deal talented musician in the truest sense of the word. An artist, a genius and a professional. If I’m not mistaken she states that she was sick with a respiratory illness during this concert on top of it all.
I saw her in concert in Salt Lake City in 1972. She performed at a local high school. She had just released “Help me” and we all went crazy when she played it. Will never forget her performance. Another genius.
The second song she wrote Both Sides Now when only around 17 years old although recorded years later and the two most Important words at the end of the chorus were "AT All"Gives the song closure, remember this was recorded live in 1969 no autotune effects nothing except just pure vocals and guitar. Awesome
I was born in 1962 and my brother is 5 years older, we used to listen to AM radio with these two songs by Joni, and Penny Lane by the Beatles sticking in my head from earliest memory so whenever I would think of Hippies and Summer of Love after I got older these songs always came to mind. Iconic. Thanks Fil for another memory lane journey.
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
You said it right, “Honest and authentic” performance and that coincides with Joni’s singing and songwriting excellence. So pure. Thanks for this golden moment.
There's a lack of words to comment on Joni's songwriting. What she puts together makes real a depth of meaning that is consistent and unique. That's the best I can do.
Joni Mitchell's music will still be making people smile 100 , 200, 500 years from now. She was one of the preeminent performers of the 60's-70's-80's. She also had a habit of not keeping time. Lot of sidemen had trouble following her. Enough so that when Jaco Pastorius was playing on her album, she remarked how well he kept up with her fluid sense of meter, and asked how he did it. He said he watched her foot tapping and used that as his cue.
Didn't she write the song "Don't ask why" maybe that's not the name of the song but Elvis did a great version of it!! Just googled it it's called Until it's time for me to go.
So glad you chose Joni as a subject for one of your videos. I know Bob Dylan gets all the songwriting accolades, but to my mind Joni is heads & shoulders above even Dylan. All on her own out there, the greatest singer-songwriter in pop/rock. Album after album of gems, polished on my old turntable until they shone like moons in the dark. She's the greatest.
gripplehound I’ve watched several of his videos, and as I was watching this one, it occurred to me that it does indeed look like he’s falling in love with each performer, whether it’s a female, or a male, or a group. It’s nice to see how truly happy he is enjoying and appreciating other people’s music, no matter what the genre.
Joni Mitchell is a fellow Canadian and fellow Albertan! Apparently John Haeny produced Joni Mitchell's first album after David Crosby brought him the first flawed recordings of her songs. Where would the world be now without her songs like "Woodstock" ? My favorite composition by her is "Both Sides Now". I have been in touch with David Crosby on Twitter and he agrees with me that Joni Mitchell was one of the most gifted songwriters ever. Thank you Mr.Crosby for promoting Joni Mitchell from the very beginning and thank you Wings of Pegasus for posting this video.
@@purplerose4767 You should also connect with Michael A. Hill on Facebook. He knew John Lennon from about 1945 to about 1958 in Liverpool. Mike is now my friend too! facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009070465098
I think it was ex-boyfriend Graham Nash who said that because Joni had polio as a youngster, which weakened her hand grip, she evolved these open tunings for guitar.
Joni could do it all. She composed her own music, she could sing, she played guitar and piano, she was an artist and did the art work for some of her album covers, and she had some pretty amazing men in her life. I love her first four albums. If I had to pick a favorite song, it would be “Rainy Night House”. And “Both Sides Now” is a masterpiece. I’ve always loved the lines: “Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say I love you right out loud”. Words to live and love by. Thanks for doing this analysis, Fil.
her work with jaco was some of her best in my opinion... the whole "shadows and light" concert can be found here on yt and i'd HIGHLY recommend giving that a view! pat metheny, lyle mayes, jaco, michael brecker and don alias......what a stellar lineup!!
Absolutely 120%. I always say Johnny must have come from heaven down with the angels to teach us about her singing and the poetry in her music. Also her artistic work of paintings. She is so talented it's unbelievable. I don't think I have ever heard of anybody being so talented as Joni Mitchell ❤️❤️❤️🎹🎸🎨🎨
Great performance choice by Joni Mitchell. She also great on the piano. what a great roster of songs She has written. great analysis and break down on Joni. best of luck to You on your livestream Tues/Wednesday.
Both sides now: one of the few songs that can move me tears. All the years that have gone by, losing my singing ability, losing my son, but don't give yourself away. Now that I'm in my 50s, this song is so bittersweet. I grew up with it.
The one and only Joni Mitchell. Greatest singer/ songwriter of her generation. Kept evolving, fell in love with Jazz. Conquered polio at age 9. A sheer force of will. She insisted on being home for Christmas, and got out of an iron lung and started walking.
I learned alternate tunings from Joni's first albums. This was just the beginning for her. Her evolvement continued on a steep upward curve to those fantastic early 70's albums like Court & Spark. Now, that's songwriting.
Love Joni. Saw a video today about Neil/ Sugar Mountain and Joni/ Circle Game. It said she found Neil’s song depressing, because it made life seem so short. So she wrote her song to treat time passing in a gentler way. Also saw an interview in her home. Her paintings were on the walls and were quite beautiful.
My daughter started to listen to her in the late 90’s while in the military! I was so proud of her ...when I found Joni Mitchell cds in her car :) haha
I doubt if she ever plays a song the same way twice. She exudes musicality. So unique. Also, the courage to stand in front of an audience with just your voice and a guitar. Unless you’ve done it, you really have no idea how hard it is to do.
@@lindajones8101 He didn't say there weren't lots of people who've stood in front of an audience with a guitar and their voice. He said that unless you've personally done it, you have no idea how hard it is. These are two completely different statements. Brush up on your reading comprehension.
@@wandertree I want to apologize to Fil for the dismissive comment that I made nine months ago. I regret that, and also realize I didn’t bother to make myself clear. What I did not get across was that I feel that if you are a singer but want something to accompany you many people pick up a guitar or noodle on the piano. It seems to come naturally, because you started as a singer and picked up an instrument to supplement your singing. I’m taking drumming lessons now and find that I almost always try to sing along, although it is difficult because I need the singing to motivate me.
If Neil Young is a god in Canada and he is Joni is an angel. Incidentally, Joni and Neil had some crazy interaction back in the 70's. Great review as always.
@@wingsofpegasus as might know Neil's first 45 released after the demise of Buffalo Springfield was Sugar Mountain a concise and beautiful song about becoming an adult. Joni's response directed straight at Neil was her great tune The Circle Game.
I major in Carrie and California, with a minor in River and Blue. When it comes down to it, pretty much any song off Ladies of the Canyon, Blue, or Court and Spark will get my attention. No one with a heart can listen passively to Joni Mitchell at her best.
Joni really plays guitar and sings very well on these two songs here and they are two of my favorites. Between her vocals and playing, she sounds so beautiful. Fil says it best.Jim
Joni Mitchell is most like Van Morrison, completely unconventional and unique genius. Playing 6 dimensional chess while everyone struggles with checkers. 10,000 years from now the AI beings that rule the world will listen to her music in awe.
Does anyone know what 3 dimensional chess actually is? Because I play chess, and all I've ever played, and all I think that exists, is 2 dimensional chess.
“Joni Mitchell never lies lies” Deep stuff man.Proud to say I have a original pressing of her “ Ladies Of The Canyon” Lp on wax.Awesome breakdown as always Fil.Bless up/Peace
The Queen of Alternate guitar Tunings So many great Albums but maybe Hejira , The Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Court and Spark are my Favorites But really they all are
I remember when the Hissing of Summer Lawns came out how so many people dissed it. It coincided with the transition in my life from adolescent to adult. Looking out of hotel windows, thinking of Harry's House, wondering what had I gotten myself into.
Thank you so much!! She was a major influence on me personally and as a musician. Genius. These were commercial hits. There is so much I don't know what to begin to tell you to do. Can't decide. This is very early stuff. Thank you .
I was there back in the day and this is so great having her come back again! Thank you for a really great reaction. I loved how perceptive you are about so many aspects of Joni's performance! ✌️
Joni is a goddess! The poetry, the voice and the melodies. To see one person with just a guitar captivating an audience like this is thrilling and beyond words. There is another singer/songwriter who has this effect on me and that is Nick Drake. Unfortunately he shunned live performances in his lifetime and there is absolutely no video footage available which is a pity. I would have loved to hear you comment on this outstanding musician. Hmmm...how about Donovan instead?
Nick Drake also used a lot of unique and made up tunings so he shares that with Joni as well. He also had the same problem of having to sit and change tunings during his performance between songs. It made for some awkward silences at performances and I think that probably contributed to him hating it because he was shy and you have to fill that time with talking on stage which I don't think he was good at.
Interesting interpretation on the "take away my old man". In sixties slang "my old man" or "my old lady" was a husband or wife, or long term live in romantic relationship. I always assumed she meant her boyfriend was leaving her and the taxi was a just a taxi.
That's always been my take as well. But it's really kind of a weird song actually. Starts off as a sort of up-tempo ode to the environmental movement, then she drops this bomb at the end..
Yes, I agree with you. In fact the song "My Old Man' on Blue was clearly about a lover (said to be Graham Nash) where she sang, "We don't need no paper from the City Hall keeping us tied and true."
I don't buy that this was about the police taking away her father. Unless what I read about her bio was wrong. I believe this was about a significant other man she had a falling out with or it's not biographical at all. That since the main chorus is about not appreciating what we have the song moved more from the environment to our personal relationships. Joni Mitchell was a poet and a painter. Between hearing the screen door slam and having the big yellow taxi taking away her old man, she painted a perfect picture of the big Checker Cabs that populated New York and other US cities. It's not a coincidence that Joni who painted all her Album covers painted a Big Yellow Checker Cab.
@ Nikola Tesla (hey I thought you were dead!) I agree thoroughly, that's the most logical take on the song. And I agree with earlier comments that it makes the song strange - actually ruins it in my mind because the eco theme was so strong at first. Maybe she thought so too as she added an extra verse here.
I always loved the hit version of Both Sides Now as sung by Judy Collins. Then I heard Joni's version and was mesmerized. Just like Carol King's version of You've Got a Friend, there is so much more conviction in the performance of the actual writer of the song.
Judy is more orchestrated and Polished and Theatrical. She still qualifies as a folk singer, mostly for her song Choices and storytelling. Joanie's lyrics and everything about her is absolutely captivating. There's a lovely scene of her playing piano outside in the winter in Alice's Restaurant. Haunting, really
I have a friend who attended an art school with her. He said she lamented daily the fact that she didn't know at the time if she wanted to become an artist or a singer. A quick check of some of her album covers reveals she is easily BOTH!
If I never hear hear play another song these days after her health problem. I most fervently hope she can get well enough to pick up her paintbrush again.
You might enjoy the interview she did with CBC Radio Canada in 2015, as their CBC interviewer, Jian Ghomeshi, travelled to Joni's Los Angeles home to video record her for over an hour. She reflects deeply on her entire life in visual art and music, going back in detail to her childhood. *Search the words Joni Mitchell interview CBC Radio Q.
Thanks Fil. I fell in love with Joni Mitchell in the late 60s- early 70s. Not in a romantic way...but for what she had to say. And how she so bravely said it. I'm sure you're aware of how she handled a hostile crowd at Leeds (I believe it was Leeds) and calmed them and tamed them. She went from boos to wild applause. I understand. Her song to Neil Young, a hometown friend who was having difficulties with growing old when he was just a young kid artist. He wrote "Sugar Mountain" in a mood. And his friend Joni wrote "Circle Game" for him. She's a treasure all right. She's also a hell of a jazz singer as well! Her voice is quite different with that music.
Neil's from mostly Winnipeg, and Joni's from Moose Jaw/ Saskatchewan, I don't think that Neil ever lived there...Regardless, they're both INCREDIBLE Canucks‼️🇨🇦💕
@@d.dedrick7991 yeah. But like anywhere the music scene brings brings people together. They each talk about it a couple times as intros to their song. Joni tells the story on her London concert album with James Taylor, and Neil during a concert recorded and released as EMCEE INTRO/SUGAR MOUNTAIN. Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972) disk 3. Neil also wrote about it extensively in his Autobiography.
@@d.dedrick7991 , funny, you have reminded me of a Guess Who Song, titled running back to Saskatoon. "Moosejaw saw a few, Moosomin too, running back to Saskatoon / Red Deer, Terrance, and Medicine Hat / sing another prairie tune....." The Guess Who live at the Paramount Theater is a very good live album, by the way. Of course, they were actually from Winnipeg.
Great video. Her performance of Both Sides Now from a few years back, with the orchestra, the wisdom and maturity gained coming through her older voice is absolutely stunning.
"Both Sides Now" is just classic! That and Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" from around the same time frame are forever etched in my memory and as far as I'm concerned some of the finest lyrical songs ever written. (Hard not to put "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in there, too.)
"To play a wrong note is insignificant. . . . to play without passion is inexcusable." (Beethoven)
You got it.
Artur Rubenstein made a lot of mistakes in his playing, especially in his later years, but the musicality was there and it really did not diminish the performance one iota...
Well ,if anyone would know ,he would.
Buddy Davis ❤️👍🏻
@Laura Mounier yeah you right Nola girl.
In 1971 I went to a David Crosby, Graham Nash concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theater in Vancouver. The Q.E. theater is a huge concert hall and the two were dwarfed, sitting in one little corner of the stage with a bunch of guitars on stands behind them.. Well into the concert the crowd was delighted to have Joni make a surprise appearance and walk to center stage where a single microphone was set up. She said hi, told a little story of singing Woodstock in a cave, in Greece, and announced that the three of them were going to sing it now, Acapela. Crosby and Nash were still over on stage right, standing up to their microphones, when, Joni looked over and said something like, "It is a concert hall, why don't we step in front of the microphones and do it without an amp," Crosby and Nash gasped in disbelief as Mitchel stood there in front of a full house and filled the hall with the sweetest version of that song I have ever heard. Still gives me chills thinking about it.
Al Robertson Truly Awesome! Thanks for that recollection. If I could time travel...
that was AMAZING.
i was 17, and there as well, from Richmond B.C.
our era, talent wise, and musically..KILLED it..
Wow, what a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing.
Epic. I get chills reading your words. Thank you so much for sharing.
Same here , chills just reading your story. How awesome.
Completely untouchable songwriting, and musical ability. Truly in her own league. Love her work.
Addi lol completely is justUNtouch batle
Not just a member of "elite songwriters", a member of the "elite of the elite" and a better songwriter than Dylan.
No doubt about it . Totally in her own league . I love her. ♡♡*
GOPHER!!!
So beautifully said. Yes, completely agree!
A painter whos career got derailed by incredible musical talent.
But she still paints pictures with her beautiful lyrics
@@patriciamillin-j3s Very true.
She also continued to paint, for example many beautiful album covers.
Joni Mitchell my absolute favorite!
She has so much talent .She also seems to have a good amount of joy in Her soul. It makes me happy just to be around when she talks,laughs, sings, or just passes along, good information.
In the spring of 1976 I met Joni in a natural foods store in Boulder CO. She was mindblowingly beautiful -- and very friendly. She looked just like the cover of the Clouds album. Joni was just so friendly and natural and meanwhile I totally froze up and couldn't talk while she was trying to get me to engage in small talk. She walked up to me and stood very close and told me I looked like someone she knew. All I could say was: "I look like someone YOU know?" She smiled and said:: "Yes." I replied: "I'm sorry you are mistaken." Then she said: "Are you sure you don't know me?." I said: "Yes." She said: "Well, that is just too bad then." She gave up and walked away. I found out later she was visiting the guitarist Robben Ford who was attending the Naropa Institute of Boulder. Joni was driving across country getting inspiration for Hejira. Anyway, even though I blew it by not being friendly with her I still got to stand right next to her in her personal space -- looking right in her eyes.
You're Lucy to have met Joni Michael... She was Beautiful!..
@@rexmonarch2who That was Beautifully said.. Thank you for you're Amazing story!..
You should consider writing if you don’t already. That was a very descriptive story that I could completely picture. Lovely job.
If you’re an attractive guy who’s normally comfortable with women you probably blew a golden opportunity. Still a great memory and story.😎☮️✌️
I'm 65 and have always considered Joni Mitchell one of the top composers in the world during the 20th century. Her depth and emotions in the lyrics mixed with the emphasis of guitar has always been amazing to me. Back when I was a young woman, I had a 2.5 octave range and loved to sing her music. Thank you for keeping her and others like her in the spotlight.
Hey 19! Oops 65, me too! Love our window of time...Younger than Beats, Hippie stream; now solid Dharma life. It’s timeless like us all. Music through old ears, vast archive.
I've been listening to her almost every day for so long, I can't even tell you how many decades. I'm 70. To me, her music is a treasure. I think people are going to be listening to her until the next big meteor hits and brings back the dinosaurs.
You know what I think we all love about your ability of being a music critic? its you leave critical out and the music lover in! My wife and I agree it's the charisma of you and your smile that says it all. I enjoy listening to what you have to say, I'm sure not all of the music you hear is your favorite but, we all resonate to a different frequency and groove to a different beat and you do a awesome way of explaining that and that which these talented artists find that thing they do to move us. Just as you do! Rock on and keep up the awesome work...make that the love of music!
Brian De Bold agreed... I only found these videos from Fil tonight... I’m an old prog lover, who doesn’t know anything about Wings of Pegasus, but this young gentleman is the real deal. I’m sold!👍
Well said!
yes, i couldn't have said it better
I agree but I also love Fil's technical knowledge of music and his respect for all these different artists. And yes, his smile is very endearing. Oh, and his hair. We love his hair too.
50 years later, her voice, feel still gives me chills !!
I wonder how she got her autotune to sound so natural? 😀😀😀
Truth!!
@@NuclearGrizzly That's the absurdity of this generation.There Was No Auto Tune Back Then.Joni Mitchell's voice is actually in tune.Back then, either you were in tune or you weren't.Even today, mostly it's people who can sing in tune who are getting the record contracts,not people who need auto tune.
@@josephdrach2276 A few years ago a kid in another band asked my singer that same question. She's a Julliard graduate. I thought I was going to have to pry her off of him. It got me wondering if millennials even know that it's possible to sing in tune without electronic wizardry. BTW...Later his guitar player asked me who did the relic job on my Les Paul. I told him I did. And it only took me 30 yrs.
@@NuclearGrizzly It's amazing.A generation that is at the same time cynical about how others sing in tune and have little patience to practice there instruments or practice singing.There is no magic technology that makes a fretless bass or a violin suddenly become easy to get perfectly in tune notes out of.Even marking the fingerboard has its limits.I bring this up because many instruments require that you listen to get the right pitch.Everything now has to be instant and electronic.I too get fed up with some of this generation.The pathetic "sampling"of other people's music instead of writing there own is too much.What happened to creativity?I better stop this rant.Your Les Paul is a treasure and if I played guitar instead of bass,I would get a Les Paul.Enjoy it.
I’ve always loved Joni Mitchell’s songs, but especially her voice and vocal style. It always feels like I’m riding on an autumn leaf in a gentle breeze as it slowly falls. Simple yet profoundly beautiful...
Nicely said!
Oh I agree so agree!
Beautifully said. ❤️
Beautifully said.❤
To describe someone as"unique" is very much overplayed today, but not in the case of Joni Mitchell. She has to be one of the most creative, innovative and creative musicians of all time. As an artist, absolutely unique!
He is a lovely guy who understands what it is all about. You feel his true appreciation.
Yes , Fil knows talent when he sees it. Top shelf Joni , most talented top 1% musically she is..
Automatic like, brother.
Joni is the master tuner.
Joni used more tunings than most guitarists could dream of. One of the best songwriters ever. Blue was an absolute masterpiece.
Chad Swalls I still listen to the blue album a lot
Blue a MASTERPIECE!
This concert included a version of All I Want She told the audience it was a work in progress! Its not the final version which makes the song so interesting! You can find it on RUclips check it ou you wont be disappointed!
@@Mr05Chuck that's awesome.
I need to order another copy.
@@kona883 That's way cool.
Thanks a lot!
Joni made it look so easy. Smooth and laid back and beautiful. And listening to her in 2019, the music is just as relevant and engaging and current as it ever was. I love how well her compositions have aged.
So very true, Hazel. The quality and innovation in her music stands heads and shoulders above 99% of everyone else. Her lyrics, that is, her observations and opinions on the goings on in life and in her life specifically, resonated deeply in me as a teen and 20-something young man growing and evolving into the person I am. She broadened and expanded my perspective, she gave me things to consider and learn from, and she gave me music that not only entertained and engaged me, but became part of both the fabric and soundtrack of my life.
Enduring the passings of David Bowie and Tom Petty were major turning points in my life, for they had been an integral if not familial part of my life and I shed many, many tears over their departures. I dread the day of Joni's passing, as the mere thought of such a thing brings more sadness and feelings of loss.
@@TVC15ohoh So nice to know that i am not alone in that ~
@@jamesmaxdavissands What was your first Joni album, Max? (My name is Frank, btw.) When did you turn onto her?
@@TVC15ohoh Mine was 'Blue' and it changed my musical life :)
Timeless.
Re: alternate tunings, Joni said, “I tune the guitar until it sounds like I feel.”
Wow! That is so Kool!
A true synaesthesiac continuum, in person -- beautifully!
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
“So I sat out in the sun on a rock and I tuned my guitar to the sound of that day (...) I tuned to the crows and the seagulls, the sonic references available”
Lovely😊
This is her true gift. It is responsible for her unique sound.
Her giggle on the line 'Birds and the bees' is like a central moment of the joy we as listeners are allowed to witness in her music. It is a privileged to share in her spirit as an artiste. She sold this song like no one else can do and I am mesmerised:)
Brought me to tears. Even Led Zep sung about her- Going To California with an aching in my heart.
Someone told me there's a girl out there With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair. They say she plays guitar and cries and sings. We love you Joni!
That is amazing... when I listened to Going To California, Joni Mitchell was who I imagined in the song!!! I had no idea THAT was who THEY were thinking of too!!! That is really something, and I was brought to tears just now too.
My god, her lyrics are incredible. Pure Poet
Not just her lyrics.
I remember spending the whole bus journey home poring over the lyrics on the album cover when I bought …. was it Blue? Probably Ladies of the Canyon. A really good read. And then the joy of listening over and over and over.
J Sanders she was right there with John Denver in poetry and lyrics. She was so talented and you can see she is enjoying herself so much.
Joni Mitchell.
Insanely talented.
Sanely talented 👍
Touched by God
"hey farmer, farmer put that DDT away now, and give me spots on my apples" Prophetic.
Out of our era (60s) came the best , and Jonie is probably the best of all of them . Her ability to write lyrics is incredible .
Your analysis always gives me a greater appreciation for the music. And that's what makes your videos special. Well done. Rock!
Are your parents old Hippies like me? great stuff.......
Are your parents old Hippies like me?.......Great stuff.......
@@jackson77722 My parents were not old hippies. :)
Well,good man you know your music.
@@jackson77722 Not like Fil does. :)
I haven't heard Both Sides Now for some time and it just made me cry.
Agreed. Even more so as you experience life.😔
My memorial video for my mom was soundtracked with this song. She was a musician and a 70's hippie woman. The song makes me just bawl, but in a good way, if that makes sense
So True
You’re moved by its beauty and it’s truth; the truth about life
Joni can move me like no other. Her voice is epic. Her lyrics, boy do we ever need to hear her tell people, stop destroying the environment. She transcends.
Very true; as a former performer, the rhing I miss the most is being able to sing these songs. ( not that I was Joni Mitchell,lol, I wasn't but my cover was good enough to get me signed). Every time I hear her sing, it likes a little bird in my heart that wants to fly but can't anymore ( thyroid cancer, my wings were clipped). She is my all time favorite performer.
In Joni's performance of this song in 2000, her voice changed to that of a mature woman, the lyric of this song takes on such a profoundly different meaning. To think she wrote it when she was so young is really incredible.
Good point. Joni's older voice is slow, seasoned and a little rough like real life. It reaches to my soul with a deeper meaning to me than her smooth voice of the '60's. Hearing her 2022 performance brought a tears to my eyes, probably because I am older now too. We are survivors.
To have written Both Sides, Now in her twenties....what a soul she has. Joni is in a class by herself.
I was in college when Joni arrived on the scene. I was an instant fan and still am. Her lyrical and melodic style as well as her guitar playing was so original and great I couldn't believe it. You might be surprised to know she considers herself a painter who also plays music. She is my favorite creative mind of the 20th century.
Same here !
She had a way of piercing the heart. "A Case of You" was really moving.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!... ONE OF MY FAV 60's/70's ARTIST EVER!!!!...I used to listen to Court n Spark so much when I was a teenage that I had it memorized.
Joni's voice was like an angel...sadly she has been unable sing or speak since trying to recover from a brain aneurysm in 2015. This past Fall they had a tribute for her 75th birthday which she attended. Thanks Fil!!..you made my night!!...✌❤🤘
🎵Help me I think I'm fallin...
So Sweet! God bless her. 👏
No problem!
i didn't know that had happened. i wish she would look into hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). i figure if it works for stroke victims, it might work for aneurysm victims as well.
@@mjt11860
Not sure if it would...
They're completely different maladies. A stroke is a blockage that breaks loose and travels to the brain, heart, or lungs. Whereas an aneurysm is a weak spot on a blood vessel that blows out, kinda like a bubble on a tire. I most certainly hope she finds the treatment she needs!
@@hashtag415 yes they r different in how they happen, but the results r basically the same: brain damage. if HBOT is useful in treating patients w/CTE, as well as stroke victims, it could help people who have had aneurysms.
Her albums “Blue” and “For The Roses” changed my life as a guitarist. I came out of myself and saw so many new possibilities. Thank you,
Joni. And thank you Fil.
Again my era for this old lady. Thank you for her talent showcase! Words still ring true in 2022! You probably know she tuned her guitar in various unconventional ways!!
What a talent, sadly I never appreciated her in my younger years because I was all about heavy rock, my taste as I've aged has become much more eclectic, I appreciate fil how you have the obvious appreciation and respect, as a young guy that I wish I'd always had.
@So Angry That's how I really discovered Joni. Stuck at my aunt's house,wandered into my cousin's room and saw Hejira. I knew of Joni and liked all the songs I'd heard. Put it on the turntable...ok it was 1976..and I was mesmerized and in love and it was a done deal.
That's not a way to look at it. There's nothing sad about when you find an artist. My story is similar to yours but I just revel that I found an artist years later that I could get into from back in the day....Laura Nyro was the same story too. When we were young Joni wasn't high on our list of music with the likes of Zepplin, Tull, Yes, Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Airplane, the Doors...man we were swamped with great music.
@@Miatacrosser She was always high on my list at the time...but you're right. It doesn't matter when you discover her genius...just as long as you did !
Same thing kind of happened to me. Back in the day I used to like to smoke a little and spend a Saturday afternoon in the Tower Records store. One day this new Joni Mitchell compilation cd kept popping up everywhere I went in the store. Figured it was a sign and bought it. Absolutely stunned. Within a month I had every album she made. She has no peers.
Love me some Joni.❤
Hejira is my favorite album!
"Coyote", "Song for Sharon"
There's nothing else like it.
I grew up with coyotes and had to face one off in the wild once. Great creatures, great song.
"Song for Sharon" is a flat-out MASTERPIECE, one of her top 10, IMO, and that's really saying something, LOL!! For ANYONE who's basically experiencing Joni Mitchell, here, for the first time, or really only familiar with 60's Hippy Queen, Folkie-Joni, or, just a couple of her songs, PLEASE check THIS song out, for starters, to hear her incredible evolution as a TRUE, one of a kind, musical ARTISTÉ... PLEASE Forgive me! I CAN'T help that I LOVE Joni SO much, ESPECIALLY this song, & this particular era of her, LOL...😍👂🎶💕
🎵"Coyote's in a coffee shop
staring a hole in his scrambled eggs
he picks up my scent on his fingers
while he's watching the waitress' legs.
He's too far from the bay of Fundy
from appaloosas and eagles and tides
From air conditioned cubicles
And the carbon ribbon rides..."🎶
@@d.dedrick7991
"Song for Sharon" gets me Every time!💙
@@lawrencetaylor4101 , coyotes are everywhere in my woodsy neck of Southern New England, but they are very secretive. I have been listening to them at night for almost 20 years, and yet I saw one for the first time just a month ago. Pretty cool, although nowhere near as cool as seeing a wolf in Yellowstone Park in November back in 1992.
Joni Mitchell is probably one of the greatest songwriters ever. She wrote Woodstock and didn't get to go to Woodstock. But sent Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and they performed her song Woodstock. She had to do a previous commitment in LA.
During which time she was hanging out with David Geffen. She was always letting other people have hits with her songs. Understated and underrated.
Not to mention a Hot.
Yes you run out of words to praise Joni`s body of work
@@stevenjgw9 It's gratifying that so many fans still exist for her great music; she is totally unique, and people still seem to need the inspiration she provides!
Crosby ,Still ,and Nash were not sent to Woodstock by Joni . She indeed wasn’t there ,but her and David were watching TV , and then she got it first handed ( what was happening) . She played it for CSN obviously after the concert, and they made it into a great rock anthem .
Free Man in Paris is about Geffen
@@gregsmith5148 I didn't know that.
I met David through my Uncle Peter Heine director of sales for Billboard Magazine at 9000 Sunset in Los Angeles California.
David's office was down the street and around the corner. Both David and Peter had previously worked for Warner Brothers records. We went to a party for Mr. Geffen to celebrate the the beginning of Asylum records. David purchased advertising from Peter. It was the first party I had ever been to that had valet parking and was catered. I spent the whole afternoon in the swimming pool. The swimming pool had waterfalls, big rocks, and large rubber fish. He is a nice man. Incredible house.
one can rarely say that there will never be another like her. Much like Ella, Billy, Arethra and a couple of others, Joni is without a doubt in that small class of great great vocalists. Fantastic and a legend!!!
EmmyLou Harris and Sandy Denny come to mind as well!
I grew up in the 60’s and am thankful to have had all the great music from that period. Joni is one of the greatest. She contracted polio in 1952 (the same year I did) and it affected the strength in her left arm and hand. Not having the strength and hand control to make complicated chords lead her use open/alternate tunings. Which do not require complicated fret hand control. She is a master of open/alternate tuning! And singing and song writing!
Interesting .. thanx ..
Yes the challenges she had to overcome are amazing: she turned her disability into a gift.
I just found out about Joni having polio not to long ago. Neil Young had polio also in his early years.
I am thankful for that also the sixties in the seventies I was young in the sixties really young
That’s also why she used the dulcimer for a bunch of songs.
One in a billion ! Astute, personal, revealing, teaching - an ultimately creative soul !
"you don't know what you've got until it's gone" could easily apply to the clubs of the 60's in Yorkville. But the people a little older than me that regularly dropped in to the Riverboat to see Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and others, tell me they now feel so lucky they had that period in their lives.
Joni's live version here of Both Sides Now is even more poignantly beautiful and moving than the wonderful album version. There's something in her timing and modulation and guitar playing that allows the song to truly breathe and flow over the audience.
FAO Wings of Pegasus, your wise, inspiring and empathetic commentaries always do justice to your chosen artistes. You have a rare gift!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on such an underrated superstar... she just never wanted any part of the pop worship crowd, and was as humble as one could be.
Her first album had more (really) great songs than many artists write in a lifetime...
No problem!
Underrated by nobody who knows what's up...
Fil I just want to take the time to thank you for these videos!
It makes me so happy as a musician that you highlight what makes the artists you showcase so exceptional.
From their voices to their abilities with the instruments they play, and the history of their careers.
You are keeping their music alive and hopefully introducing them to young and old generations for the first time.
And for me it reminds me of why I wanted to play the guitar and piano in the first place.
Everyone from Jerry Reed, Glen Campbell, Karen Carpenter, The Beatles, Heart...so many great artists and video clips.
Thank you again for what I'm sure is a labor of love!
In 1969 American baby-boomer, hippy, pop culture at the time, a woman's "old man" referred to her live-in boy friend, i.e., her lover...the Yellow Taxi reference describes her boyfriend leaving her (i.e, has nothing to do with a Police car)......trust me - I'm an American (now aging) baby boomer from that generation...!
Not only that but the police cars in TO were not yellow, and she wouldn't have seen her father being taken away in one while a child since she was not a child in TOronto but rural Saskatchewan.
she was living in los angeles qhen she wrote this.
@@tomgardner8825 yes.. And it means live in boyfriend. And meant the same in Canada as well.
Your face during Both Sides speaks more than words. Mesmerized. Me, too.
Page/Plant were smitten with her, as well.
My goodness Fil. Jackson Brown the other day now Joni Mitchell. Fil are you trying to wring our emotional musical virtual tear ducts? I enjoy your breakdown of the music/playing. Joni is magical, as you know, thanks for featuring.
😂
So great! LOVE Joni Mitchell. 😎
She’s one of the greats, for sure. She’s extraordinarily talented.
@Edward Dakota Nobody cares. Go away.
Butch...!?
Joni, another brilliant songwriter. God, it was so great to live in this era of music. Can't deal with today's music. Thanks Fil
Not only have I always loved her songs, but you gotta recall what it was like playing with all the guys in 1969. She was never intimidated or cowed by her peers like Stephen Stills or Robbie Robertson. She was their equal in every way. Total confidence and ability to make her own artistic statement strongly without allowing for any disrespect. They weren't nice guys, really. Awesome. Tough lady
I can’t imagine why she’d be ‘cowed’ by Stephen Stills or Robbie Robertson?? Why would she be cowed? But they were all inspirational to each other.
Another great video Fil your mention of the break between chest voice and head voice being a stylistic choice in Big Yellow Taxi is proven in Both Sides Now where she changes as smooth as silk. Awesome analysis of one of the most consummate singer/songwriters of all time.
I hadn't even noticed! Spot on!
I found this video about 4-5 years ago and immediately knew it was a legendary performance. A real deal talented musician in the truest sense of the word. An artist, a genius and a professional. If I’m not mistaken she states that she was sick with a respiratory illness during this concert on top of it all.
Yeah! That was her on a bad day! 😅
I am so happy about this one! Joni just hits a sweet spot in me. Love her!
👍
You're not alone in that; fantastic singer/songwriter/bandleader! Can't say enough great things about her!
@@Gregorypeckory one of the greatest...bar none!
Great to see artists whose music makes themselves happy too!
I saw her in concert in Salt Lake City in 1972. She performed at a local high school. She had just released “Help me” and we all went crazy when she played it. Will never forget her performance. Another genius.
Correction: It was 1974 not 72. She performed at Highland High school in SLC, Utah.
The second song she wrote Both Sides Now when only around 17 years old although recorded years later and the two most Important words at the end of the chorus were "AT All"Gives the song closure, remember this was recorded live in 1969 no autotune effects nothing except just pure vocals and guitar. Awesome
She sings like a mother would while putting her children to sleep, beautiful and peaceful!
I was born in 1962 and my brother is 5 years older, we used to listen to AM radio with these two songs by Joni, and Penny Lane by the Beatles sticking in my head from earliest memory
so whenever I would think of Hippies and Summer of Love after I got older these songs always came to mind. Iconic. Thanks Fil for another memory lane journey.
Cool!
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
You said it right, “Honest and authentic” performance and that coincides with Joni’s singing and songwriting excellence. So pure. Thanks for this golden moment.
There's a lack of words to comment on Joni's songwriting. What she puts together makes real a depth of meaning that is consistent and unique. That's the best I can do.
I'm so glad to have lived in this time of music, nothing compares today. Thank you so much for the post
Thanks Fil for your analysis and turning me on to the subtleties of Joanie Mitchell’s performances. She is one of my all time favorites.
Joni Mitchell's music will still be making people smile 100 , 200, 500 years from now. She was one of the preeminent performers of the 60's-70's-80's.
She also had a habit of not keeping time. Lot of sidemen had trouble following her. Enough so that when Jaco Pastorius was playing on her album, she remarked how well he kept up with her fluid sense of meter, and asked how he did it.
He said he watched her foot tapping and used that as his cue.
Awesome‼️R.I.P. AMAZING, sweet Jaco💕 It's SO unbelievably tragic how he struggled later on, &, HOW he consequently, passed...😖
😂👍
Another great female singer/songwriter musician is Buffy Sainte Marie. still active!
Didn't she write the song "Don't ask why" maybe that's not the name of the song but Elvis did a great version of it!! Just googled it it's called Until it's time for me to go.
So glad you chose Joni as a subject for one of your videos. I know Bob Dylan gets all the songwriting accolades, but to my mind Joni is heads & shoulders above even Dylan. All on her own out there, the greatest singer-songwriter in pop/rock. Album after album of gems, polished on my old turntable until they shone like moons in the dark. She's the greatest.
Don't forget about John Prine.
Surely more than one person can get song writing accolades?? There are many great song writers and Joni is definitely one of them.
I need to find a man that looks at me like he looks at Joni 😕
gripplehound I’ve watched several of his videos, and as I was watching this one, it occurred to me that it does indeed look like he’s falling in love with each performer, whether it’s a female, or a male, or a group. It’s nice to see how truly happy he is enjoying and appreciating other people’s music, no matter what the genre.
@@TerryAllenSwartos I get exactly the same impression. He shows true appreciation.
Or a woman
@@bmm7132 Begining to think that’s my future....
That's mine Lulu women
Joni Mitchell is a fellow Canadian and fellow Albertan! Apparently John Haeny produced Joni Mitchell's first album after David Crosby brought him the first flawed recordings of her songs. Where would the world be now without her songs like "Woodstock" ? My favorite composition by her is "Both Sides Now". I have been in touch with David Crosby on Twitter and he agrees with me that Joni Mitchell was one of the most gifted songwriters ever. Thank you Mr.Crosby for promoting Joni Mitchell from the very beginning and thank you Wings of Pegasus for posting this video.
No problem Brian!
David Crosby is my friend too,such a great guy!
@@purplerose4767 You should also connect with Michael A. Hill on Facebook. He knew John Lennon from about 1945 to about 1958 in Liverpool. Mike is now my friend too! facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009070465098
Stand back Brian.. Saskatchewan claims her!
@@martbook I think not but good try. You can claim Buffy Sainte-Marie instead.
just hearing her voice makes me cry. and i'm cold as a zaor blade, tight as a tourniquet, dry as a funeral drum...
Then maybe you should run to the bedroom: in the suitcase on the left, you'll find a chill pill, that might loosen you up.
@@axelbauron155 got that and my favorite axe....
It's sweet ...then she'll do something with her voice that makes it almost too sweet to bare.
Are funeral drums dry?
What song is that from?
I think it was ex-boyfriend Graham Nash who said that because Joni had polio as a youngster, which weakened her hand grip, she evolved these open tunings for guitar.
Wow that is so interesting and she is so intelligent and talented
Joni could do it all. She composed her own music, she could sing, she played guitar and piano, she was an artist and did the art work for some of her album covers, and she had some pretty amazing men in her life. I love her first four albums. If I had to pick a favorite song, it would be “Rainy Night House”. And “Both Sides Now” is a masterpiece. I’ve always loved the lines: “Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say I love you right out loud”. Words to live and love by. Thanks for doing this analysis, Fil.
her work with jaco was some of her best in my opinion... the whole "shadows and light" concert can be found here on yt and i'd HIGHLY recommend giving that a view! pat metheny, lyle mayes, jaco, michael brecker and don alias......what a stellar lineup!!
I have to agree one of my fav albums period.
Yeay Fil- Joni is a so great it's beyond human. She is a Goddess
Absolutely 120%. I always say Johnny must have come from heaven down with the angels to teach us about her singing and the poetry in her music. Also her artistic work of paintings. She is so talented it's unbelievable. I don't think I have ever heard of anybody being so talented as Joni Mitchell ❤️❤️❤️🎹🎸🎨🎨
I didn't notice the mistake on the guitar.. I thought she was laughing at the double entendre " leave me the birds and the bees "
me too
Great performance choice by Joni Mitchell. She also great on the piano. what a great roster of songs She has written. great analysis and break down on Joni. best of luck to You on your livestream Tues/Wednesday.
Thanks Drew!
Both sides now: one of the few songs that can move me tears. All the years that have gone by, losing my singing ability, losing my son, but don't give yourself away. Now that I'm in my 50s, this song is so bittersweet. I grew up with it.
The one and only Joni Mitchell. Greatest singer/ songwriter of her generation. Kept evolving, fell in love with Jazz. Conquered polio at age 9.
A sheer force of will. She insisted on being home for Christmas, and got out of an iron lung and started walking.
I learned alternate tunings from Joni's first albums. This was just the beginning for her. Her evolvement continued on a steep upward curve to those fantastic early 70's albums like Court & Spark. Now, that's songwriting.
Court n Spark was my FAVORITE album of hers!!!!!...I wore that cassette out, man!!!!....❤❤❤❤
@@loripond1839 me too
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I love Joni Mitchel from her earlier stuff thru her jazz stuff with Pastorius. What a voice
She and Jaco were quite a pair. Coyote!!
yea, I really like her version of Coyote on The Last waltz
Love Joni. Saw a video today about Neil/ Sugar Mountain and Joni/ Circle Game. It said she found Neil’s song depressing, because it made life seem so short. So she wrote her song to treat time passing in a gentler way.
Also saw an interview in her home. Her paintings were on the walls and were quite beautiful.
Joni sleeps in a Blue bedroom. So do my wife and I, for that matter.
I sleep in blue room - what’s the significance?
My daughter started to listen to her in the late 90’s while in the military! I was so proud of her ...when I found Joni Mitchell cds in her car :) haha
I doubt if she ever plays a song the same way twice. She exudes musicality. So unique. Also, the courage to stand in front of an audience with just your voice and a guitar. Unless you’ve done it, you really have no idea how hard it is to do.
Um, I think there’s probably quite a few people who have stood up in front of an audience with just their voice and their guitar.
@@lindajones8101 He didn't say there weren't lots of people who've stood in front of an audience with a guitar and their voice. He said that unless you've personally done it, you have no idea how hard it is. These are two completely different statements. Brush up on your reading comprehension.
@@wandertree I’ve done it.
@@wandertree I want to apologize to Fil for the dismissive comment that I made nine months ago. I regret that, and also realize I didn’t bother to make myself clear. What I did not get across was that I feel that if you are a singer but want something to accompany you many people pick up a guitar or noodle on the piano. It seems to come naturally, because you started as a singer and picked up an instrument to supplement your singing. I’m taking drumming lessons now and find that I almost always try to sing along, although it is difficult because I need the singing to motivate me.
If Neil Young is a god in Canada and he is Joni is an angel. Incidentally, Joni and Neil had some crazy interaction back in the 70's. Great review as always.
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@@wingsofpegasus as might know Neil's first 45 released after the demise of Buffalo Springfield was Sugar Mountain a concise and beautiful song about becoming an adult. Joni's response directed straight at Neil was her great tune The Circle Game.
@@sacluvsBM totally true
I love her music. My favorite song by her is Help Me
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Mine too!
I major in Carrie and California, with a minor in River and Blue. When it comes down to it, pretty much any song off Ladies of the Canyon, Blue, or Court and Spark will get my attention. No one with a heart can listen passively to Joni Mitchell at her best.
every song of hers is my favorite song
Joni really plays guitar and sings very well on these two songs here and they are two of my favorites. Between her vocals and playing, she sounds so beautiful. Fil says it best.Jim
Joni Mitchell is most like Van Morrison, completely unconventional and unique genius. Playing 6 dimensional chess while everyone struggles with checkers. 10,000 years from now the AI beings that rule the world will listen to her music in awe.
Six dimensional chess while everyone struggles with checkers , a perfect description !
Ha ha ha! Those lucky AI beings!
SO true!!
Does anyone know what 3 dimensional chess actually is? Because I play chess, and all I've ever played, and all I think that exists, is 2 dimensional chess.
@@equalityforall5620 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-dimensional_chess
Her performance is spellbinding. Brings a tear to the eye. I like the way you give performers your full attention in your videos.
“Joni Mitchell never lies lies” Deep stuff man.Proud to say I have a original pressing of her “ Ladies Of The Canyon” Lp on wax.Awesome breakdown as always Fil.Bless up/Peace
Cool!
The Queen of Alternate guitar Tunings So many great Albums but maybe Hejira , The Hissing Of Summer Lawns and Court and Spark are my Favorites But really they all are
Joe Gomez court and spark and ladies of the canyon are my favs
I remember when the Hissing of Summer Lawns came out how so many people dissed it. It coincided with the transition in my life from adolescent to adult. Looking out of hotel windows, thinking of Harry's House, wondering what had I gotten myself into.
Joe Gomez
Hissing of Summer Lawns - amazing
Miles of Aisles my personal favorite:)
No album is better than Blue!
Thank you so much!! She was a major influence on me personally and as a musician. Genius. These were commercial hits. There is so much I don't know what to begin to tell you to do. Can't decide. This is very early stuff. Thank you .
No problem!
I was there back in the day and this is so great having her come back again! Thank you for a really great reaction. I loved how perceptive you are about so many aspects of Joni's performance! ✌️
Joni is a goddess! The poetry, the voice and the melodies. To see one person with just a guitar captivating an audience like this is thrilling and beyond words. There is another singer/songwriter who has this effect on me and that is Nick Drake. Unfortunately he shunned live performances in his lifetime and there is absolutely no video footage available which is a pity. I would have loved to hear you comment on this outstanding musician. Hmmm...how about Donovan instead?
Saw a great British documentary on Nick Drake several yrs ago. So unique & beautiful. Discovered him from a car commercial- " Pink Moon".
Nick Drake also used a lot of unique and made up tunings so he shares that with Joni as well. He also had the same problem of having to sit and change tunings during his performance between songs. It made for some awkward silences at performances and I think that probably contributed to him hating it because he was shy and you have to fill that time with talking on stage which I don't think he was good at.
Interesting interpretation on the "take away my old man". In sixties slang "my old man" or "my old lady" was a husband or wife, or long term live in romantic relationship. I always assumed she meant her boyfriend was leaving her and the taxi was a just a taxi.
That's always been my take as well. But it's really kind of a weird song actually. Starts off as a sort of up-tempo ode to the environmental movement, then she drops this bomb at the end..
Yes, I agree with you. In fact the song "My Old Man' on Blue was clearly about a lover (said to be Graham Nash) where she sang, "We don't need no paper from the City Hall keeping us tied and true."
I don't buy that this was about the police taking away her father. Unless what I read about her bio was wrong. I believe this was about a significant other man she had a falling out with or it's not biographical at all. That since the main chorus is about not appreciating what we have the song moved more from the environment to our personal relationships. Joni Mitchell was a poet and a painter. Between hearing the screen door slam and having the big yellow taxi taking away her old man, she painted a perfect picture of the big Checker Cabs that populated New York and other US cities. It's not a coincidence that Joni who painted all her Album covers painted a Big Yellow Checker Cab.
@ Nikola Tesla (hey I thought you were dead!) I agree thoroughly, that's the most logical take on the song. And I agree with earlier comments that it makes the song strange - actually ruins it in my mind because the eco theme was so strong at first.
Maybe she thought so too as she added an extra verse here.
"my old man" has always meant 'father' to me. I'm not sure how anyone could interpret it otherwise.
Thanks, Fil! As if I didn't appreciate her enough, your insight into her musicianship makes me appreciate Joni even more!
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I always loved the hit version of Both Sides Now as sung by Judy Collins. Then I heard Joni's version and was mesmerized. Just like Carol King's version of You've Got a Friend, there is so much more conviction in the performance of the actual writer of the song.
Judy is more orchestrated and Polished and Theatrical. She still qualifies as a folk singer, mostly for her song Choices and storytelling. Joanie's lyrics and everything about her is absolutely captivating. There's a lovely scene of her playing piano outside in the winter in Alice's Restaurant. Haunting, really
Joni didn’t like Joan Collin’s version at all.
Meant Judy Collins of course
Your smile! Makes me smile! Yay for Joni!
I just watched a 2003 documentary of her and she had 25 songs already written before recording her first album. Incredible.
I have a friend who attended an art school with her. He said she lamented daily the fact that she didn't know at the time if she wanted to become an artist or a singer. A quick check of some of her album covers reveals she is easily BOTH!
If I never hear hear play another song these days after her health problem. I most fervently hope she can get well enough to pick up her paintbrush again.
You might enjoy the interview she did with CBC Radio Canada in 2015, as their CBC interviewer, Jian Ghomeshi, travelled to Joni's Los Angeles home to video record her for over an hour. She reflects deeply on her entire life in visual art and music, going back in detail to her childhood. *Search the words Joni Mitchell interview CBC Radio Q.
She has a beautiful unique voice for sure.
Thanks Fil. I fell in love with Joni Mitchell in the late 60s- early 70s. Not in a romantic way...but for what she had to say. And how she so bravely said it. I'm sure you're aware of how she handled a hostile crowd at Leeds (I believe it was Leeds) and calmed them and tamed them. She went from boos to wild applause. I understand. Her song to Neil Young, a hometown friend who was having difficulties with growing old when he was just a young kid artist. He wrote "Sugar Mountain" in a mood. And his friend Joni wrote "Circle Game" for him. She's a treasure all right. She's also a hell of a jazz singer as well! Her voice is quite different with that music.
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Neil's from mostly Winnipeg, and Joni's from Moose Jaw/ Saskatchewan, I don't think that Neil ever lived there...Regardless, they're both INCREDIBLE Canucks‼️🇨🇦💕
@@d.dedrick7991 yeah. But like anywhere the music scene brings brings people together. They each talk about it a couple times as intros to their song. Joni tells the story on her London concert album with James Taylor, and Neil during a concert recorded and released as EMCEE INTRO/SUGAR MOUNTAIN. Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972) disk 3.
Neil also wrote about it extensively in his Autobiography.
@@d.dedrick7991 , funny, you have reminded me of a Guess Who Song, titled running back to Saskatoon. "Moosejaw saw a few, Moosomin too, running back to Saskatoon / Red Deer, Terrance, and Medicine Hat / sing another prairie tune....."
The Guess Who live at the Paramount Theater is a very good live album, by the way. Of course, they were actually from Winnipeg.
She never knows how deeply n greatly her songs, words n’ sincerity have moved a guy thousands miles away in Hong Kong since his childhood
Fil how about doing another great singer songwriter of that time - the late great Phoebe Snow?
good idea, but I'd add Laura Nyro too
Great video. Her performance of Both Sides Now from a few years back, with the orchestra, the wisdom and maturity gained coming through her older voice is absolutely stunning.
Two of Joni Mitchell's albums, "Clouds" and "Ladies of the Canyon," feature her art work on the cover. She is truly multitalented.
"Both Sides Now" is just classic! That and Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" from around the same time frame are forever etched in my memory and as far as I'm concerned some of the finest lyrical songs ever written. (Hard not to put "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in there, too.)
Inventing her own chords, innovation, creativity and mixture of styles of music. She was so ahead of her peers at this stage of her career.
Joni is a talent that you would count on one hand. She innovated and broke new ground where none had ventured before her.