I second the suggestion for “The Circle Game”. Joni Mitchell is a legendary folk singer songwriter who poured her emotion and life experiences into her art.
As someone who used to sit and listen in my bedroom to this song when it was new, it makes me so happy to watch you guys listening to it with joy on your faces. You two continue to bring a great big smile to my face--I love seeing young people appreciating good music in such a joyous way.
One of the best singer/song writers ever. She was great friends with both James Taylor {the folk singer) and Corole King (both great singer/song writers in their own right). They would appear on each other's albums as musical/backing vocals. Any tunes made by these three are definately worth listening to.
Thank you for that. Joni has been voted one of the 100 top guitarists by Rolling Stone Magazine. One of the greatest singer-songwriters ever. She speaks to women, but men love her too because her thoughts are Universal. She is a painter and refers to the chords as colors, and her songs as a paintings. She also uses different tunings on the guitar that is not the usual tunings, causing them to sound more sonic and open. She has said that she finds the chords first, then feeling them, then coming up with the words much like a raga. What you heard was one of her early songs. She went through a lot of changes over the decades. Some of her "fans" left her when she went towards the 80s sound, and more left when she began collaborating with jazz musicians. Keep exploring her music. Her song All I Want really shows you what her young voice could do (please listen to the album version. The name of the album is BLUE). Her song Sex Kills (on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno) shows you mature Joni, alone with her electric guitar and you can see the unique way that she plays it. I hope you do, you won't be sorry! Happy Listening!
I really like your take on the song. I've grownup with this song but I never thought of it as a person that has viewed these things differently as they grow older but still doesn't really know it. Thanks for that.
Very good review of understanding the illusions we have in life. Dear Joni Mitchell is still alive and is a well known painter as well. Whenever there is an article written about her I have to read it. She truly embodies the title 'Artist'.
I’ve listened to Joni doing this song at various times of her life. The earlier versions are sweet and charming and reflecting the wisdom she’d been exposed to and her deep insight into how Life affects us individually and collectively. The later ones... ohhh, that’s where you hear and feel the weight of years of experience in 🎼 _life’s illusions_ 🎼 and deep soul wisdom in those immortal lyrics.
She was only in her mid-twenties when she wrote 'Both Sides Now,' but by that age she had already suffered in her life due to polio (as child) and as a young women who gave up her baby daughter after a divorce which left her destitute. All of her songs are profound and show her singing and guitar- and piano-playing talents. She has over twenty albums. BLUE is perhaps her best album and COURT and SPARK (1974), a folk rock and jazz compilation, her most commercial--both albums worth your while. But to start at the beginning of her career (acoustic folk) you may want to listen to SONGS to a SEAGULL (1967). For a great overview, however, her first live album MILES of ISLES (1974) is a must. From the 1980s onward she leans toward jazz.
You need to listen to her re-recording of this song from 2000. It has the maturity that only comes with 30 additional years of life experiences. It makes me cry every time I hear it.
When folk singer Pete Seeger turned 50, on May 3, 1969, he sent a note to Joni Mitchell, asking her approval for the fourth verse he'd penned to "Both Sides Now." It follows the three verses that end with her confessing "I really don't know clouds/love/life at all. To which Pete added: "Daughter, daughter, don't you know You're not the first to feel just so? So let me say, before I go, It's worth it any way: Some day we all may be surprised, We'll wake, and open up our eyes And then at last we'll realize The whole world feels this way: We've all been living upside down And turned around, with love unfound Until we turn and face the sun All of us, yes, everyone."
Never commented on so many videos in a row xD. Another great review. Listening to the lyrics I just knew you guys would love this song. This song is musical therapy.
Her voice is so clean and light like a an angle singing, she sings of the human condition and she always brings a felling of sadness about where we are now instead of where we should be.
You Must Get Her First 6 Albums ... She Writes ALL Her Songs herself ... She Has Inspired So Many Generations ... 1 ) Song to a Seagull 2 ) Clouds 3 ) Ladies of The Canyon 4 ) Blue 5 ) For the Roses 6 ) Court and Spark She will take you on a Powerful Journey ... One Unique thing about Joni Mitchel is how she Pronounces Every Word One can Understand Each and Every Syllable ... There are many Singers with great voices , but we Can't always understand every word ... With Joni we Can't Miss a Beat In the Year 2000 Joni Mitchell Released an Album Entitled ; " Both Sides Now " She Sings With a Philharmonic Orchestra ; Jazz and Pop Standards And Only 2 of her Own Songs ; A Case of You ( From the Blue Album ) & Both Sides Now from Her Album ; Clouds ) She Began Singing in the mid 1960's ... Always being a Heavy Smoker Her Voice became More of an Alto ( Not a Soprano with 4 Ranges Anymore ) But I find her Lower Voice Range Hauntingly Beautiful Joni Mitchell has been a Part of My Life Since 1969 ( My Freshman Year of College ) Where I Studied The Performing Arts ; Dance , Theater , Music and Voice ) I Couldn't have Made it through Life Without Joni Mitchell ... It's been 53 Years and Counting ... I wish you a Profound Journey with Miss Joni Mitchell ( She's almost 80 years old now ) She's a National Treasure ; * A Painter * A Poet * A Singer * A Composer * A Transformational Singer and Song Writer * A Thinker * A Philosopher P.S. The Song " River " from the Blue Album will make you Soar ! I Loved your Commentary on " Both Sides Now " You are a Lovely Couple ... But Wait Until You Hear Her Sing it 35 Years after she 1st Sang It on the " Clouds " Album ...
that is a very interesting version of that song. I've never heard it that way. the one i listened to Judy Collins. I had no clue Joni Mitchell sang it first. I learn something new every day O.O
Joni wrote it but didn't want to be a singer, she wanted to a painter. Judy Collins fell in love with it and recorded it after hearing Joji sing it over the phone to her. Later Joni became a singer and recorded it herself
Actually Joni sang in her teens and got her first paid gig in 1962. Joni recorded Both Sides Now in 1966 and the Judy Collins version wasn’t recorded until 1967
She’s simply outstanding ...as a folk singer and eventually more jazz. But she’s so talented and a beautiful humble sole. This song always brings tears to my eyes for no reason whatsoever That to me is the mark of next level excellence
Beautiful analysis. But then Joni Mitchell has the magic of evoking our our deepest thoughts and feelings. From folk to pop to jazz... her unique talent embraces and transcends all genres of music. In concert she's a natural storyteller, beautiful siren, and jester. Joni had always maintained an autonomy as an artist
My first Joni song was her original version of Woodstock, quite different from CSNY's rocking interpretation! I grew up with Joni, beginning at age 14, and her musical evolution affected my own... Her best 2 albums, IMO, are Blue and Hejira, in 2 very different musical genres. Peace&Love
There are great videos of her when she young 16,17, before she hit the big time and you can see she is loaded with talent, she just shines through the others she is playing with.
SO many great Joni Mitchell songs to choose from, this her 2nd album, and from other albums. Starting with the 6th album, she included other instrumentation and stylistic influences. Enjoy! :D
Joni Mitchell is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music. Both her lyrics and her music are sophisticated and intelligent. She wrote the song "Woodstock," which was recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, even though she wasn't at the festival (she had a TV engagement instead). I don't know how she was able to write lyrics that captured the feeling of the event so well without having been there herself. Joni Mitchell's biggest hit single was "Help Me," which spent 11 weeks on the Billboard pop charts and rose to #7. This song is about the mixed feelings of falling in love, with the loss of control that goes with it. It's also is full of interesting chord progressions and rhythmic changes. I'd really like it if you did a reaction to this song. By the way, her name is pronounced with a long O, as if it were spelled Joanie. Apropos of nothing, you can really hear Joni Mitchell's Canadian accent in this performance of "Both Sides Now," especially in her pronunciation of vowels.
Trivia: The song 'River' (from BLUE, 1971) became known to a wider audience when it was sung by Robert Downey Jr. on the television series Ally McBeal (in 2000).
I don't know how much you know about her, but she is the greatest songwriter of our generation. This song is one of her earliest and most famous. She is beloved to jazz artists and all artists. I don't know what else to say.
I'm a songwriter. This is just an epic piece of songwriting. I feel like crying every time I hear it. I'd suggest, "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry.
I think Joni Mitchell originally is her song another version is Judy Collins version is a good version too should be also on you tube with organ keyboard.
Folk singer Judy Collins also did this song & she made it a Top 10 hit. I prefer her version, although Joni wrote it & did it 1st. Check out Judy Collins version. -----------------MJL, 76 y/o
Joni is exactly right. It is illusions we recall, because we do not know what a single thing IS ! but she is wrong about both sides there are more than 2 there is an infinite number The scientific description of light as an appearance characterized by both "particles" and "waves" is further explained (and unified) if light is understood (and observed) to be always in a spiral (or helix) form-like the material form of DNA (which is, itself, a direct materialization of the structure of light). If a spiral-form is seen at its point of rotation (or its crossover joint), it is observable as a "particle"-and if the same spiral-form is seen with reference to its limbs of rotation (before or after its point of rotation, or its crossover joint), it is observable as a "wave". So, also, light is observable as both "particle" and "wave"-depending on which phase of its process is observed by attention (or "point of view", or ego-"I") in time and space. A vibrating string can be seen to demonstrate the same spiraliform gait as any mode of observable light-and, so, as a kind of poetic inspiration, modern scientists have proposed numerous "string theories", in their search for the "knowledge" that will "explain everything". Nevertheless, whether light is observed (and, thus, understood) as a "particle" or as a "wave" or as a "string", that observation (or understanding) is, itself, an act of "perspectival objectification", wherein and whereby Reality Itself is reduced-by the very act of observation, or understanding, or mental fabrication-to a relation (and, thus, a subordinate) of attention, or "point of view", or ego-"I". The ancient and modern perspectival "objectification" of Reality Itself as either "Deity", or "self", or "world" has historically extended the naive illusion (or naive "realism", or ego-based illusionism) of separateness, relatedness, otherness, and "difference" that is inherent to the space-time "self"-locatedness of attention, or "point of view", or ego-"I".
You both have such a lovely spirit, and thus I'm not surprised that you enjoyed this. Joni Mitchell is a true treasure with such a beautiful voice and although my following statement may be controversial to some, I regard her to be a better songwriter than Bob Dylan.
![Joni Mitchell - Song To A Seagull (Full Album) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8PGITZmJrkE/mqdefault.jpg)
I believe joni is a truly great artist who will be listened to 250 years from now. When fashion has faded.
this is TOP TIER WRITIING, SINGING, GUITAR....YOU CAN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS!
I second the suggestion for “The Circle Game”. Joni Mitchell is a legendary folk singer songwriter who poured her emotion and life experiences into her art.
As someone who used to sit and listen in my bedroom to this song when it was new, it makes me so happy to watch you guys listening to it with joy on your faces. You two continue to bring a great big smile to my face--I love seeing young people appreciating good music in such a joyous way.
A poet, an artist a musician and so much more. I remember seeing her in London in the early 1970s and was profoundly affected by her live performance
One of the best singer/song writers ever. She was great friends with both James Taylor {the folk singer) and Corole King (both great singer/song writers in their own right). They would appear on each other's albums as musical/backing vocals. Any tunes made by these three are definately worth listening to.
This song guts me every time.
She was 23 or 24 when she wrote it. That’s what blows me away.
Thank you for that. Joni has been voted one of the 100 top guitarists by Rolling Stone Magazine. One of the greatest singer-songwriters ever. She speaks to women, but men love her too because her thoughts are Universal. She is a painter and refers to the chords as colors, and her songs as a paintings. She also uses different tunings on the guitar that is not the usual tunings, causing them to sound more sonic and open. She has said that she finds the chords first, then feeling them, then coming up with the words much like a raga. What you heard was one of her early songs. She went through a lot of changes over the decades. Some of her "fans" left her when she went towards the 80s sound, and more left when she began collaborating with jazz musicians. Keep exploring her music. Her song All I Want really shows you what her young voice could do (please listen to the album version. The name of the album is BLUE). Her song Sex Kills (on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno) shows you mature Joni, alone with her electric guitar and you can see the unique way that she plays it. I hope you do, you won't be sorry! Happy Listening!
Another angel has shared her voice with we mere humans. Love her!!
I really like your take on the song. I've grownup with this song but I never thought of it as a person that has viewed these things differently as they grow older but still doesn't really know it. Thanks for that.
Very good review of understanding the illusions we have in life. Dear Joni Mitchell is still alive and is a well known painter as well. Whenever there is an article written about her I have to read it. She truly embodies the title 'Artist'.
I’ve listened to Joni doing this song at various times of her life. The earlier versions are sweet and charming and reflecting the wisdom she’d been exposed to and her deep insight into how Life affects us individually and collectively. The later ones... ohhh, that’s where you hear and feel the weight of years of experience in 🎼 _life’s illusions_ 🎼 and deep soul wisdom in those immortal lyrics.
Agree 100%
She was only in her mid-twenties when she wrote 'Both Sides Now,' but by that age she had already suffered in her life due to polio (as child) and as a young women who gave up her baby daughter after a divorce which left her destitute. All of her songs are profound and show her singing and guitar- and piano-playing talents. She has over twenty albums. BLUE is perhaps her best album and COURT and SPARK (1974), a folk rock and jazz compilation, her most commercial--both albums worth your while. But to start at the beginning of her career (acoustic folk) you may want to listen to SONGS to a SEAGULL (1967). For a great overview, however, her first live album MILES of ISLES (1974) is a must. From the 1980s onward she leans toward jazz.
You need to listen to her re-recording of this song from 2000. It has the maturity that only comes with 30 additional years of life experiences. It makes me cry every time I hear it.
When folk singer Pete Seeger turned 50, on May 3, 1969, he sent a note to Joni Mitchell, asking her approval for the fourth verse he'd penned to "Both Sides Now."
It follows the three verses that end with her confessing "I really don't know clouds/love/life at all. To which Pete added:
"Daughter, daughter, don't you know
You're not the first to feel just so?
So let me say, before I go,
It's worth it any way:
Some day we all may be surprised,
We'll wake, and open up our eyes
And then at last we'll realize
The whole world feels this way:
We've all been living upside down
And turned around, with love unfound
Until we turn and face the sun
All of us, yes, everyone."
The fragile, simple genius of Joni. Beautiful.
Never commented on so many videos in a row xD. Another great review. Listening to the lyrics I just knew you guys would love this song. This song is musical therapy.
Great reaction to simply one of the greatest songs ever written.
I remember hearing this as a young boy I am now 59 and I wept as I listened to this today. Thank you
One of the best songs ever written . It featured in the film love actually
I Love her accountability on all and not blaming The world fór the let down
A beautiful melodious number with poetic lyrics that forms a great accompaniment for a flashback from then to now ☁️🌧️Great reaction Enoma TU🌦️
Her voice is so clean and light like a an angle singing, she sings of the human condition and she always brings a felling of sadness about where we are now instead of where we should be.
You Must Get Her First 6
Albums ... She Writes ALL
Her Songs herself ... She
Has Inspired So Many Generations ...
1 ) Song to a Seagull
2 ) Clouds
3 ) Ladies of The Canyon
4 ) Blue
5 ) For the Roses
6 ) Court and Spark
She will take you on a Powerful Journey ...
One Unique thing about Joni Mitchel is how she
Pronounces Every Word
One can Understand Each and Every Syllable ...
There are many Singers with great voices , but we
Can't always understand every word ... With Joni we
Can't Miss a Beat
In the Year 2000 Joni Mitchell Released an Album Entitled ;
" Both Sides Now "
She Sings With a Philharmonic Orchestra ;
Jazz and Pop Standards
And Only 2 of her Own Songs ;
A Case of You ( From the Blue Album ) &
Both Sides Now from Her Album ; Clouds )
She Began Singing in the mid 1960's ... Always being a Heavy Smoker
Her Voice became More of an Alto ( Not a Soprano with 4 Ranges Anymore )
But I find her Lower Voice
Range Hauntingly Beautiful
Joni Mitchell has been a Part of My Life Since 1969
( My Freshman Year of College ) Where I Studied
The Performing Arts ;
Dance , Theater , Music and Voice ) I Couldn't have
Made it through Life Without Joni Mitchell ... It's been 53 Years and Counting ...
I wish you a Profound Journey with Miss Joni Mitchell ( She's almost 80 years old now ) She's a National Treasure ;
* A Painter
* A Poet
* A Singer
* A Composer
* A Transformational Singer and Song Writer
* A Thinker
* A Philosopher
P.S. The Song " River " from the Blue Album will make you Soar ! I Loved your Commentary on " Both Sides Now " You are a Lovely Couple ... But Wait
Until You Hear Her Sing it 35 Years after she 1st Sang It on the " Clouds " Album ...
Another canadian treasure !! You would love '' The circle game '' . Btful !! ☮
that is a very interesting version of that song. I've never heard it that way. the one i listened to Judy Collins. I had no clue Joni Mitchell sang it first. I learn something new every day O.O
not just sang it first, but wrote it in her twenties!
Joni wrote it but didn't want to be a singer, she wanted to a painter. Judy Collins fell in love with it and recorded it after hearing Joji sing it over the phone to her. Later Joni became a singer and recorded it herself
Actually Joni sang in her teens and got her first paid gig in 1962.
Joni recorded Both Sides Now in 1966 and the Judy Collins version wasn’t recorded until 1967
Love your reaction to this song ❤️
One of my favorites all my life.’
It makes me cry 🦋
Her voice is incredible. The River would be a great second song.
You must listening to her debut album, " Song to a Seagull" ! Every song on the the album is great ! 😎
You should check out her more recent version. She released it again 32 years later with a much different more mature voice and a full orchestra.
She’s simply outstanding ...as a folk singer and eventually more jazz. But she’s so talented and a beautiful humble sole. This song always brings tears to my eyes for no reason whatsoever
That to me is the mark of next level excellence
This, and Circle Game...masterpieces.
A song that gives you chill bumps.
Great song and artist! Listen to all of her music!
Beautiful analysis. But then Joni Mitchell has the magic of evoking our our deepest thoughts and feelings. From folk to pop to jazz...
her unique talent embraces and transcends all genres of music. In concert she's a natural storyteller, beautiful siren, and jester. Joni had always maintained an autonomy as an artist
great discussion and insights !
Peace and Love my friends!
My first Joni song was her original version of Woodstock, quite different from CSNY's rocking interpretation!
I grew up with Joni, beginning at age 14, and her musical evolution affected my own... Her best 2 albums, IMO, are Blue and Hejira, in 2 very different musical genres. Peace&Love
Big Yellow Taxi also worth a listen
There are great videos of her when she young 16,17, before she hit the big time and you can see she is loaded with talent, she just shines through the others she is playing with.
SO many great Joni Mitchell songs to choose from, this her 2nd album, and from other albums. Starting with the 6th album, she included other instrumentation and stylistic influences. Enjoy! :D
Joni Mitchell is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music. Both her lyrics and her music are sophisticated and intelligent.
She wrote the song "Woodstock," which was recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, even though she wasn't at the festival (she had a TV engagement instead). I don't know how she was able to write lyrics that captured the feeling of the event so well without having been there herself.
Joni Mitchell's biggest hit single was "Help Me," which spent 11 weeks on the Billboard pop charts and rose to #7. This song is about the mixed feelings of falling in love, with the loss of control that goes with it. It's also is full of interesting chord progressions and rhythmic changes. I'd really like it if you did a reaction to this song.
By the way, her name is pronounced with a long O, as if it were spelled Joanie.
Apropos of nothing, you can really hear Joni Mitchell's Canadian accent in this performance of "Both Sides Now," especially in her pronunciation of vowels.
the river is also a great song
Trivia: The song 'River' (from BLUE, 1971) became known to a wider audience when it was sung by Robert Downey Jr. on the television series Ally McBeal (in 2000).
One of the greatest artists of the era.
I don't know how much you know about her, but she is the greatest songwriter of our generation. This song is one of her earliest and most famous. She is beloved to jazz artists and all artists. I don't know what else to say.
Here are a few more suggestions for Joni Mitchell reactions: "Carey" -- "California" -- "For Free".
Joni is one of the best to ever play strings. Singing her own lyrics makes her a top 20 rock artist of all time. Just my opinion
She wrote the song when she was 23.
Be sure to listen the 2000 version, also.
That's her self-portrait on the cover (as on all her albums)
Great reactions!
Try "Song for Sharon" one of Joni's best
River. Case of you. Circle game. Morning Morgan town. Stick with the studio versions.
Hello friends enjoy your reactions..would love to see you do Anggun Snow in the Sahara or the band Kiss.I was made for loving you or Forever
I'm a songwriter. This is just an epic piece of songwriting. I feel like crying every time I hear it. I'd suggest, "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry.
My Canadian sister.
My favorite of Joni is Help Me.
Joni Mitchell is a true artirst
I think Joni Mitchell originally is her song another version is Judy Collins version is a good version too should be also on you tube with organ keyboard.
Folk singer Judy Collins also did this song & she made it a Top 10 hit. I prefer her version, although Joni wrote it & did it 1st. Check out Judy Collins version. -----------------MJL, 76 y/o
More Joni try River'"
Joni is exactly right.
It is illusions we recall, because
we do not know what a single thing IS !
but she is wrong about both sides
there are more than 2
there is an infinite number
The scientific description of light as an appearance characterized by both "particles" and "waves" is further explained (and unified) if light is understood (and observed) to be always in a spiral (or helix) form-like the material form of DNA (which is, itself, a direct materialization of the structure of light).
If a spiral-form is seen at its point of rotation (or its crossover joint), it is observable as a "particle"-and if the same spiral-form is seen with reference to its limbs of rotation (before or after its point of rotation, or its crossover joint), it is observable as a "wave".
So, also, light is observable as both "particle" and "wave"-depending on which phase of its process is observed by attention (or "point of view", or ego-"I") in time and space.
A vibrating string can be seen to demonstrate the same spiraliform gait as any mode of observable light-and, so, as a kind of poetic inspiration, modern scientists have proposed numerous "string theories", in their search for the "knowledge" that will "explain everything".
Nevertheless, whether light is observed (and, thus, understood) as a "particle" or as a "wave" or as a "string", that observation (or understanding) is, itself, an act of "perspectival objectification", wherein and whereby Reality Itself is reduced-by the very act of observation, or understanding, or mental fabrication-to a relation (and, thus, a subordinate) of attention, or "point of view", or ego-"I".
The ancient and modern perspectival "objectification" of Reality Itself as either "Deity", or "self", or "world" has historically extended the naive illusion (or naive "realism", or ego-based illusionism) of separateness, relatedness, otherness, and "difference" that is inherent to the space-time "self"-locatedness of attention, or "point of view", or ego-"I".
Judy Collins covered this song and made a perfect work, I think she owns it in real.
Oh Joni, My eyes are raining and its a downpour. I really don't know life at all.
GOAT
You may love Peter Paul and Mary too
Try Cactus Tree a story of an elusive woman
Poignant. A reflection on lost innocence.
You both have such a lovely spirit, and thus I'm not surprised that you enjoyed this. Joni Mitchell is a true treasure with such a beautiful voice and although my following statement may be controversial to some, I regard her to be a better songwriter than Bob Dylan.
Of course
THE FIRST RULE OF THE TAO, IS THE TAO THAT IS SPOKEN OF IS NOT THE TAO. JUST A MANIFESTATION
ENOMA : PLEASE-----------listen to Judy Collins do this ------------her version is even better. ----------------------WolfSky69, 73 y/o