She's obviously a folk writer and singer of legendary status, but her technical guitar skill is also insane. Everyone from Jimi Hendrix to John Mayer has talked about how precise and innovative her playing is. Jazz legend Charles Mingus listed her as one of the best musicians he'd ever played with.
@@nozecone it's the tunings. She uses open chord tuning but it's rarely standard. She's and amazing instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, visual artist and poet. Quite the talent, in many ways.
If you google Joni, you will see that she is recognized as one of pop's geniuses starting from when she was very young. She doesn't just have hits, she has classics. She also plays piano. She's from Canada, but in the years around 1970, she was part of the Laurel Canyon tight-knit community of popular singers and musicians (and had some romantic relationships as well). You should see the video of her singing Both Sides Now in 2000 with a full orchestra at a tribute show for her. Its very different and heartfelt.
She wrote one of the best lines in rock & roll, made popular by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young in the song 'Woodstock': "We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon..."
Lex my mom used to sing and play for me. Memories I’ll cherish forever. I never hear Country Roads (Take Me Home) without it taking me back. Yesterday was the anniversary of her passing. Miss you mommy. ❤️
One of the greatest singers and songwriters ever. Your Joni Mitchell journey MUST include the songs Help Me and A Case Of You. A Case Of You as recorded on her Blue album is an insane vocal performance, filled with yearning and regret. Once again, you two prove yourselves as true music lovers. Great reaction.
Brad...you got this 100% right on the money. proud of you. Joni is a songwriting genius, sheer poetry with an angelic voice and beautiful guitar playing. The complete artist.She is a painter too, check out her album covers, she drew or painted a few of them. 😊
She was also an accomplished piano player and many of her greatest songs are backed by her very emotional piano playing. There is a good amount of live concert footage on YT where you see all her talents on display and it's hard to believe how wide her talent was - and add her charm and charisma and yes, adorableness and brilliant song writing and and and and and and.......no bottom to her talent and genius. She's in the top tier of the top tier. At her peak in the mid-70s, she pursued her love of jazz and she recorded a number of brilliant albums with the backing of some of the greatest jazz players of the time, including the breathtaking one of a kind bass playing of Jaco Pastorius. There are also full concerts on YT with Jaco and her jazz ensemble that are absolutely amazing.
Graham Nash (CSN, CSNY) who lived with Joni for a couple of years, talked about her song writing genius in this interview. th-cam.com/video/JyUltYniAOM/w-d-xo.html
@@kikovazquez7277 Yes, exactly. The band for her 'Shadows and light" tour was probably the best band assembled in the 70s. Period! ( Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Don Alias, and Micheal Brecker and Joni of course)
not to mention, she wrote some of the most iconic songs of the '60's ; woodstock, big yellow taxi among others....although other artists had a bit more success, joni- a canadian,who also had polio as a child wrote some of the best songs ever.@@kikovazquez7277
Brad connected to her because she has your energy, Lex. Smart, weird, bravely open and vulnerable. Just like you, Lex. He likes her because he loves you.
And you probably know a snippet of another famous song of hers sampled by Janet Jackson. As Joni is one her idols, she called her herself to ask permission to use it.
For some reason I just got this song after many listens. After having been idealistic and having those ideals crash around you, there’s still the appeal of the illusion that it really is like you hoped it would be, even though you know it isn’t and can’t. I think it’s the same sentiment as the line from another song, “strung out on another man,” suggesting not wanting to make the same mistake by embracing something bad for you, but you just can’t resist.
Joni is a world treasure. Her poetry, honesty and artistry is unmatched in music. She is the definition of all it means to be a musician and artist. She never fails to melt my heart and bring tears to my eyes, all at the same time.
Rolling Stone ranked her the 9th greatest (rock) songwriter of all time. Seriously influential, a musician’s musician, like Neil Young her fantastic guitar play often gets overlooked.
Joni was/is one of the greatest singer/songwriters ever. And imagine how young she was when she wrote those songs. Wisdom well beyond her years, a bit like Lex.
2 ปีที่แล้ว +1
Wisdom earned by early experience and selfreflection. Her heartbrake gave us such valuable music.
Joni Mitchell is famous for her ability to change register in mid song. "Big Yellow Taxi" is probably the most quoted song in pop history, being beloved of the environmental movement. Joni wrote it after reading Rachel Carson's ground-breaking book "Silent Spring". "Both Sides Now" was originally a huge hit for Joni's friend, Judy Collins, in 1968, having been included on Collins' 1967 album "Wildflowers" shortly after Joni had penned it, and Joni's own recording of the song did not come out for another two years (1969), being included on Joni's first album "Clouds".
Naturally, Joni's version was better. I heard both. Judy's sounded over-produced and disingenuous. And her voice just wasn't as fluid and free flowing, so to speak, as Joni's. Judy didn't know how to go smoothly from one note to another. Because of that and other things, her version just didn't sound true.
Joni is simply the best. Period. A songwriter and poet who had no peers. Through folk, rock and jazz/fusion, she towered over every other songwriter, totally unique and totally herself. Keep going with Joni, her catalog is a deep, deep ocean.
I doubt anyone would be upset if you decided to do a bit of a Joni binge - she is such a stellar singer/song writer/performer. She evolved from Acoustic to Pop to Jazz as easily as a flower opening in the morning sun. A Case of You, California, Woodstock, Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire, You Turn Me On I'm A Radio, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter...... so many great songs.
She's had a difficult life in many ways- took polio as a child and was told she'd never walk again. It took a long long time for her to recover. More personal tragedies in her adult life too , and yet a consummate artist.
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell CC (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter. Drawing from folk, pop, rock, classical, and jazz, Mitchell's songs often reflect on social and philosophical ideals as well as her feelings about romance, womanhood, disillusionment and joy. She has received many accolades, including ten Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Rolling Stone called her "one of the greatest songwriters ever",[1] and AllMusic has stated, "When the dust settles, Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century".[2]
Joni's musical talents are legendary, but she is also well-known for her paintings. She primarily paints abstract and surrealism and designed some of her album covers, also her artwork is on tour, currently showing at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Next Joni song - I vote for Help Me, California, or Woodstock. ty couch club, you rock!
Graham Nash, of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young wrote "Our House" about his time living with Joni. And Joni wrote CSNY's song "Woodstock".
Joni sang a version of "Both Sides" when she was in her 60's - and the song changed because it was sung from the perspective of an older woman. The words were the same - but it was different.
She recently appeared at Newport Folk Festival. She's 78 and still recovering from a brain aneurysm but she did a great job. Very inspiring to us old guys!
BOTH SIDES NOW is an absolutely a brilliant song that should be listened to several times and interpreted for your life.there is a video of her singing this over 30 years later where you can here in her voice what the years have taken
Joni Mitchell is one of the greatest singer/songwriters. This song is about her favorite place. The state of Hawaii is her favorite place to go. This song tells of when the city of Honolulu tore down here favorite place to build a parking lot. She was very active in environmental issues.
Suffice it to say that I am significantly older than y'all but Joni Mitchell is one of my very favorite voices. As many times as it has been covered I dig her version of Free Man in Paris
My favorite Brad reaction - snaps at Lex - and finally found some lyrics that made sense to him. For a moment he was one with the world - and - that's how great Joni Mitchell is - she can bust through the layers of urban anguish and speak to the soul of the everyman. Karen had a better voice - but no one else besides Dylan could lay down some lyrics. Joni was once asked by a reporter if she thought she was a good as Bob Dylan - she didn't hesitate - and said - *_"well - certainly I'm a better singer."_*
Joni was a hero to the hippies. We loved her. i was wrote her a letter telling her that I love her. LOL. no response. I guess I don't know LOVE LETTERS, ad to the list for me.
Brilliance! She's the one zeppelin sang about in their song "Going to California" - ... Someone told me there's a girl out there With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair... ... To find a queen without a king They say she plays guitar and cries and sings... La la la la"
She's Canadian gold!!! Ah... the magic that is Joni Mitchell ..... she is so beloved. Counting Crows version of Big Yellow Taxi and then Janet Jackson's reimagined version Got 'Til It's Gone are both super wonderful too!!! Thank you for the Canadian Content today ... I loved it!!!!
Your Maple Leaf T-Shirt was appropriate. Joni is originally from Canada. Eventually, she settled in Laurel Canyon and an existing artists community grew around her. Check out the Miniseries Documentary about Laurel Canyon California. Joni was one of the most influential people in the late 60s and 70s music scene.
Oohhh. The Joni Mitchell rabbit hole.......You guys are in for a massive treat as you fall. Try: Help Me A Case of You River Free Man In Paris Amelia Carey Cactus Tree Song For Sharon Hejira Coyote California Little Green Woodstock Lex, bring a tissue box for some of these. And Brad, always have a lyric sheet for these. Joni Mitchell, lyrically, is a female Bob Dylan. But more romantic. And heartbreaking. And thought-provoking. And angelic.
Funfact Janet Jackson sampled joni's vocals from this for the hook of her 1997 hit song " Got Til It's Gone" that's when Janet was experiencing with Hip-Hop/ Trip-Hop beats and sampling techniques.
Janet Jackson sampled "Big Yellow Taxi" on one of the songs on her Velvet Rope CD, but I forget which (and Q Tip is on the song saying "Joni Mitchell wouldn't lie"). When I was in HS, a hippy English teacher made us explicate her song "A Case of You" and talk about how it's an example of "metaphysical wit" because I guess we were reading John Donne or Andrew Marvell at the time and she didn't want to read a bunch of papers about "The Flea" or "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning."
You guys should react to more Joni Mitchell… "Both Sides Now", "Help Me", "A Case Of You", "River", "Hejira", "The Hissing of Summer Lawns", "The Circle Game", "Coyote", "I Had A King" 🎸🤘
What a talent. Nice to see Brad laugh with that. I did not appreciate Joni Mitchell as much as I should have during my life as a musician - better late than never. She is truly something very special.
She is a genius and to me the most consequential artist of the last sixty years. There is a lot more of her to unpack. Has anybody yet commented that as a result of childhood polio she invented fifty different ways to tune her guitar because her fingers couldn't make the chords she heard in her head? That's why she is constantly tuning her guitar in her performances. She has always grown and evolved in her art. My favorite album of hers is her first, Song to a Seagull and my favorite songs from it are Night in the City, Nathan La Franeer, and The Dawntreader. But she never stopped being unflinchingly authentic and innovative. Her work with jazz musicians is unlike anything else I've ever heard. And if you follow her albums in chronological order you can trace the changes as she matured and grew into different forms. Some other favorites of mine are For Free, the whole Blue album, Woman of Heart and Mind, Help Me, Trouble Child (in my mind a pandemic song dealing with her childhood affliction with polio), and everything from the Hejira album, another absolute masterpiece. The Mingus album is totally unique in the world of jazz. Enjoy.
My next-door neighbour when I was a kid taught Joni in high school in High River Alberta. She felt there was something special Joni. Wyn, the teacher, was an accomplished artist as is Joni, check out her amazing cover art for some of her albums.
Joni went to high school in Saskatoon, at Aden Bowman Collegiate. I believe she was born in Fort Macleod but her family moved to SK when she was very young. They lived in a couple of small towns in the Saskatoon area until she was about 10 and then moved into Saskatoon. Random trivia, the hotel over her shoulder on the cover of Clouds is the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon.
Aw you know I was young when I heard this and Wyn herself was from High River and buried there but she worked around the country. Thanks - too bad for High River;)
Incredible reactions. Both Sides Now is a lesson in lyricism perfection. In addition to brilliant singing and songwriting, she is one of the best and most sophisticated guitar players of all time. Unique melodies, distinctive tunings to match the song...one of a kind!!
And Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot reactions on the same day. Well done. Two of the top three songwriters of all time (with Bob Dylan). Joni, Dylan, Lightfoot.
When we first moved to Florida I hung out at Madeira Beach and you could just pull off Gulf drive on to the sand and park the car. Sand key was a place to take 4x4 trucks and hangout. They've paved paradise.
The best verse of "Big Yellow Taxi" is the last one, when Joni goes high and then very low, the contrast is almost comic, but she is making a point, and drawing attention to her story.
@@martymar1964 I agree that line is the emotional center of the song, I was just liking her vocal talent more than the actual words. Joni is a great song writer and singer, and guitar player.
What a voice and love the acoustic guitar. I'd guess she played a lot of coffee shops when she started. I love it and I was alive then. Yes you got it friends. She protested with her beautiful lyrics, voice.
Joni wrote Clouds(both sides now) very early in her carreer (she was prety much a "starving artist" at that time). At that time Judy Collins liked it so much that she popularized the song before Joni had the chance to perform it (much). For the most part Joni only sang songs that she wrote herself with very few exceptions.
"Big Yellow Taxi" was covered by Amy Grant in 1994, and Counting Crows with Vanessa Carlton in 2003. It's sampled in "Got 'til It's Gone" by Janet Jackson. It speaks to so many people.
Brad Lex: (FYI) Joni Mitchell contracted polio as a child, she wanted to learn to play music, and tried to learn guitar, but couldn't do traditional chords because of the effects of polio, so she taught herself to play guitar using chords that she made up and her very own way of tuning her guitar. A wonderful, wonderful talent. Another wonderful female singer of the 60's is Judy Collins ('Judy Blue Eyes', the song CSN wrote about her), I get misty eyed when she sings "In My Life".
Joni also wrote "Woodstock" performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash. Judy Collins, the subject of "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" by CS&N had a hit with "Both Sides Now".
That is so crazy when you made the comment, "It's almost like your Mom could play the guitar" I play guitar and piano, and believe me, my kids were raised on this kind of music!! Joni is from the same area I was born. She wrote everything she sang. A treasure of North America to be sure!!
She was very chill. She was so relatable. She is a 60s icon. I love her. She is the quintessential folk singer. As the song said " you don't know what you've got til it's gone". I miss the freedom we had and took for granted back then.
Out of every reaction I've seen from you, I think this is the most impressed I've been with Brad ! .. He nails both songs here and was really tuned into what Joni was saying, as well as picking out things such as the many "voices" that she alternated in during her singing .. Great work from both of you, but on this occasion, particularly Brad.👍
Joni started out by playing in coffee houses and hootenannies/jamborees, so being alone on stage with her acoustic was pretty normal. In Ottawa, places like Café l’Hibou e.g. “it was a scene, man”. Joni was also invited by The Band to play at their Last Waltz show - iconic!
You guys got it!!! No more nature, just concrete. She saw this decades ago and now it's here. Both Sides Now is such a beautiful look at love and live. I think we've all had the thought " I really don't know life at all." So beautiful.
One of the queens of the 60s and 70s music scene ..along with Janis and Aretha ...Aretha the Queen of R & B...Janis the Queen of rock and roll.. Joni Mitchell The Queen of folk rock the music of my youth ( yea I'm old ) but i like your guys reactions to the old tunes ..tells us that there timeless...good music is good music doesn't matter how old you are
Grew up listening to artists like Joni Mitchell and others that show up during your Canada streams like Gordon Lightfoot , The Guess Who , Neil Young , Rush , and others. Wish some lesser known Canadian artists would make it on and win a poll once in awhile. One in particular is a guy named K-OS , a progressive hip hop artist who was extremely well known from the late 90’s to the late 00’s. He was likely a huge influence on artists like Drake and The Weekend. The kicker is ... he looks a lot like Brad !! Hoping the couch gang checks out some of his songs like “Crabbuckit” , “Man I Used to Be” , “Spaceships” , or “Sunday Morning” and get him on a poll next Canadian stream. I’d love to see Lex’s reaction when she sees how much he looks like Brad ... Lol.
You're probably thinking of Janet Jackson's song Got 'Til It's Gone. She had a sample of Joni singing part of the chorus for it. You should also listen to the Carly Simon song "You're So Vain," which Janet also incorporated into her song Son Of A Gun, though in that case she actually had Carly singing more on the song. Joni has been in poor health for years, so I don't think she was able to add any new vocals the way that Carly did.
Over the moon that you have opened the Joni factor. She is a songwriter's songwriter. That she can also sing and perform is icing on the cake. She may well be the best of all. Listen to "Circle Game" from Miles of Aisles, and see if that doesn't convince you. "Twisted" and "God Must Be a Boogie Man", and dozens and dozens of other songs are out there for the taking.
Notice how effortlessly she handles the applause during Big Yellow Taxi? They clap when she is ready for a line and she just goes around again without even flinching. A singer-songwriter in a league of her own.
She's a massive Canadian icon like Gordon Lightfoot or the Tragically Hip. One song I really love from her in winter is 'River'. I spent many years in retail at Christmas time with maybe a day or two off...missing my friends, family and boyfriend wishing for a nap or a river to skate away on
Joni became one of the biggest stars in the generation I grew in 60's through the 2000's She came out of Canada
She's obviously a folk writer and singer of legendary status, but her technical guitar skill is also insane. Everyone from Jimi Hendrix to John Mayer has talked about how precise and innovative her playing is. Jazz legend Charles Mingus listed her as one of the best musicians he'd ever played with.
That percussive strumming style she's using here has become quite common; I think she was away ahead of the curve with it here.
@@nozecone it's the tunings. She uses open chord tuning but it's rarely standard. She's and amazing instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, visual artist and poet. Quite the talent, in many ways.
I'm not talking about the tunings.@@squirrelray1
IMHO the best female singer/songwriter ever. She is just so good; a national treasure.
Definitely up there. Great songwriter.
If you google Joni, you will see that she is recognized as one of pop's geniuses starting from when she was very young. She doesn't just have hits, she has classics. She also plays piano. She's from Canada, but in the years around 1970, she was part of the Laurel Canyon tight-knit community of popular singers and musicians (and had some romantic relationships as well). You should see the video of her singing Both Sides Now in 2000 with a full orchestra at a tribute show for her. Its very different and heartfelt.
She wrote one of the best lines in rock & roll, made popular by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young in the song 'Woodstock': "We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon..."
my favourite line is
'And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky
And they were turning into butterflies
Above our nation'
Lex my mom used to sing and play for me. Memories I’ll cherish forever. I never hear Country Roads (Take Me Home) without it taking me back. Yesterday was the anniversary of her passing. Miss you mommy. ❤️
One of the greatest singers and songwriters ever. Your Joni Mitchell journey MUST include the songs Help Me and A Case Of You. A Case Of You as recorded on her Blue album is an insane vocal performance, filled with yearning and regret. Once again, you two prove yourselves as true music lovers. Great reaction.
lol
Have you heard Help Me by Morgan James. Just wow.
@@Maiko100876 I haven't. I'll give it a try. Thx, man!
And from that album Both sides now, excellent
Yes, agreed! Esp 'A Case of You'.
Brad...you got this 100% right on the money. proud of you. Joni is a songwriting genius, sheer poetry with an angelic voice and beautiful guitar playing. The complete artist.She is a painter too, check out her album covers, she drew or painted a few of them. 😊
She was also an accomplished piano player and many of her greatest songs are backed by her very emotional piano playing. There is a good amount of live concert footage on YT where you see all her talents on display and it's hard to believe how wide her talent was - and add her charm and charisma and yes, adorableness and brilliant song writing and and and and and and.......no bottom to her talent and genius. She's in the top tier of the top tier.
At her peak in the mid-70s, she pursued her love of jazz and she recorded a number of brilliant albums with the backing of some of the greatest jazz players of the time, including the breathtaking one of a kind bass playing of Jaco Pastorius. There are also full concerts on YT with Jaco and her jazz ensemble that are absolutely amazing.
Graham Nash (CSN, CSNY) who lived with Joni for a couple of years, talked about her song writing genius in this interview.
th-cam.com/video/JyUltYniAOM/w-d-xo.html
@@kikovazquez7277 And she plays the dulcimer so beautiful!
@@kikovazquez7277 Yes, exactly. The band for her 'Shadows and light" tour was probably the best band assembled in the 70s. Period! ( Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Don Alias, and Micheal Brecker and Joni of course)
not to mention, she wrote some of the most iconic songs of the '60's ; woodstock, big yellow taxi among others....although other artists had a bit more success, joni- a canadian,who also had polio as a child wrote some of the best songs ever.@@kikovazquez7277
Joni, Judy Collins, Carole King. A strong run for female artists.
Hopefully a Janis Ian reaction is coming soon.
There are so many more than those 3.
Carly Simon
Joan Biaz is the Queen!!!!
Karen Carpenter would be #1 for me.
Brad connected to her because she has your energy, Lex. Smart, weird, bravely open and vulnerable. Just like you, Lex. He likes her because he loves you.
Also though that!
Amen to all that!
The female match for Bob Dylan one of the great Writer performers of the past 60years.
I see her as the female match for Nick Drake. Good grief what a collab album that would have been
And you probably know a snippet of another famous song of hers sampled by
Janet Jackson. As Joni is one her idols, she called her herself to ask permission to
use it.
Joni Mitchell would sing to our Kindergarten class, which was taught by her mother-in-law. Her husband, Chuck, was also a folk singer.
"Both Sides Now" is one of my favorite songs of all time. Her album Blue is absolutely brilliant.
Hi Robert! I TOTALLY agree! I LOVE the song Both sides now! LOVE Joni Mitchell! Peace and Blessings to you and your family!
The whole of 'Blue' is perfection...it's in my 'top 10 of all time' albums list!
For some reason I just got this song after many listens. After having been idealistic and having those ideals crash around you, there’s still the appeal of the illusion that it really is like you hoped it would be, even though you know it isn’t and can’t. I think it’s the same sentiment as the line from another song, “strung out on another man,” suggesting not wanting to make the same mistake by embracing something bad for you, but you just can’t resist.
Brad & Lex, you'll love her "Help Me", "Free Man In Paris" and "A Case Of You"!!! One of the great singer/songwriters!!
or river
yes, all of these songs!
California has to be included.
Twisted ( Cheech and Chong do some vocals on it) raised on Robery
Just a girl and her guitar. Excellent version.
Joni is a world treasure. Her poetry, honesty and artistry is unmatched in music. She is the definition of all it means to be a musician and artist. She never fails to melt my heart and bring tears to my eyes, all at the same time.
Rolling Stone ranked her the 9th greatest (rock) songwriter of all time. Seriously influential, a musician’s musician, like Neil Young her fantastic guitar play often gets overlooked.
9th is fair for rock but she'd rank higher than that across all genres.
I find the Rolling Stone best lists compilations complete sausage fests.
Joni was/is one of the greatest singer/songwriters ever. And imagine how young she was when she wrote those songs. Wisdom well beyond her years, a bit like Lex.
Wisdom earned by early experience and selfreflection. Her heartbrake gave us such valuable music.
Is
Considering Los Angeles was built on a dessert, it's impressively lush in places.
Joni Mitchell is famous for her ability to change register in mid song. "Big Yellow Taxi" is probably the most quoted song in pop history, being beloved of the environmental movement. Joni wrote it after reading Rachel Carson's ground-breaking book "Silent Spring". "Both Sides Now" was originally a huge hit for Joni's friend, Judy Collins, in 1968, having been included on Collins' 1967 album "Wildflowers" shortly after Joni had penned it, and Joni's own recording of the song did not come out for another two years (1969), being included on Joni's first album "Clouds".
Clouds was, of course, Joni's 2nd album. Her first was Song To A Seagull.
She wrote "Big Yellow Taxi" after she came to the city of Honolulu, Hawaii. The pink hotel is the Royal Hawaiian.
Naturally, Joni's version was better. I heard both. Judy's sounded over-produced and disingenuous. And her voice just wasn't as fluid and free flowing, so to speak, as Joni's. Judy didn't know how to go smoothly from one note to another. Because of that and other things, her version just didn't sound true.
@@LoveOldMusic808
And I think the parking lot was the Ala Moana Center
Lex is a genius. Never heard anyone describe Joni"s music so perfectly.
Just like Mama singing to us! Perfect!
Joni is simply the best. Period. A songwriter and poet who had no peers. Through folk, rock and jazz/fusion, she towered over every other songwriter, totally unique and totally herself. Keep going with Joni, her catalog is a deep, deep ocean.
That song makes me cry every time I hear it
Not only had no peers among her contemporaries then, she still hasn't been surpassed, after all these decades.
The Queen of The Parries. a Canadian icon and a gift to the world. Lover her music.
I doubt anyone would be upset if you decided to do a bit of a Joni binge - she is such a stellar singer/song writer/performer. She evolved from Acoustic to Pop to Jazz as easily as a flower opening in the morning sun. A Case of You, California, Woodstock, Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire, You Turn Me On I'm A Radio, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter...... so many great songs.
I'd definitely watch a Joni binge with Brad and Lex.
She's had a difficult life in many ways- took polio as a child and was told she'd never walk again. It took a long long time for her to recover. More personal tragedies in her adult life too , and yet a consummate artist.
A cliche maybe - but sometimes hardships inspires art.
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell CC (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter. Drawing from folk, pop, rock, classical, and jazz, Mitchell's songs often reflect on social and philosophical ideals as well as her feelings about romance, womanhood, disillusionment and joy. She has received many accolades, including ten Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Rolling Stone called her "one of the greatest songwriters ever",[1] and AllMusic has stated, "When the dust settles, Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century".[2]
Joni's musical talents are legendary, but she is also well-known for her paintings. She primarily paints abstract and surrealism and designed some of her album covers, also her artwork is on tour, currently showing at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Next Joni song - I vote for Help Me, California, or Woodstock. ty couch club, you rock!
IIRC she really considers or considered herself an artist more than a musician and essentiallly took up folk singing to support her art.
Born November 7, 1943 in Fort MacLeod, Alberta, she is another Canadian treasure shared throughout the world. I think you would enjoy " Help Me" next.
Graham Nash, of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young wrote "Our House" about his time living with Joni. And Joni wrote CSNY's song "Woodstock".
And she painted the cover art for CSN’s debut LP
She wrote the Woodstock song without even being there
@@MikeB-in1nd and somehow captured the essence of the experience.
@@samanthanickson6478 So amazing
And let's not forget "The River" she wrote after breaking up with Graham.
Lex is giving Canada some love today with the artists and the shirt. 👍❤️
First Gordon; now Joni. Thanks so much for playing songs by two of our many Canadian musical poets!
Joni sang a version of "Both Sides" when she was in her 60's - and the song changed because it was sung from the perspective of an older woman. The words were the same - but it was different.
Fascinating.
I prefer the newer version, honestly - it's like her voice grew into the song
Yes, it was the background song in the movie ‘Love Actually’ when Emma Thompson’s character realized her husband was cheating. Very poignant scene.
I can't listen to her without getting teary eyed. She's lyrically and musically amazing!
She recently appeared at Newport Folk Festival. She's 78 and still recovering from a brain aneurysm but she did a great job. Very inspiring to us old guys!
I have two daughters.
Joni Maxine - Named for Joni Mitchell
Stephanie Aisha - Named for Stevie Wonder and his daughter Aisha
Enjoy Joni's music!
BOTH SIDES NOW is an absolutely a brilliant song that should be listened to several times and interpreted for your life.there is a video of her singing this over 30 years later where you can here in her voice what the years have taken
Both Sides Now and California are probably my favorites. I even love the newer recording of Both Sides Now. They’re all amazing.
Joni Mitchell is one of the greatest singer/songwriters. This song is about her favorite place. The state of Hawaii is her favorite place to go. This song tells of when the city of Honolulu tore down here favorite place to build a parking lot. She was very active in environmental issues.
Suffice it to say that I am significantly older than y'all but Joni Mitchell is one of my very favorite voices. As many times as it has been covered I dig her version of Free Man in Paris
It’s the best version. I like Neil Diamond’s “cover” (he wrote it), but as far as I am concerned, Joni owns it.
These are my favorite versions of both of these tunes but “Both Sides Now” is a perfect song. Hauntingly beautiful.
Perfect songs are very rare - but yes I agree - this song is a perfect song.
Yes, she was 23 years old I think when she wrote that song. Crazy that she had such insight at a young age.
JohnR88 I hope you've listened to her sing 'For Free. Imo one of her very best, and quite haunting as well.
My favorite Brad reaction - snaps at Lex - and finally found some lyrics that made sense to him. For a moment he was one with the world - and - that's how great Joni Mitchell is - she can bust through the layers of urban anguish and speak to the soul of the everyman. Karen had a better voice - but no one else besides Dylan could lay down some lyrics. Joni was once asked by a reporter if she thought she was a good as Bob Dylan - she didn't hesitate - and said - *_"well - certainly I'm a better singer."_*
Leonard Cohen is up there. Not taking anything away from Joni though, she's one of the best.
Brad was right on with Hook, also. This is cool, amazing performance.
Must see Joni on the Johnny Cash TV show singing "California" and playing a freaking dulcimer!
Joni was a hero to the hippies. We loved her. i was wrote her a letter telling her that I love her. LOL. no response. I guess I don't know LOVE LETTERS, ad to the list for me.
Genius is thrown around a lot in music! Joni is a genius 💚
Brilliance! She's the one zeppelin sang about in their song "Going to California" - ... Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair... ... To find a queen without a king They say she plays guitar and cries and sings... La la la la"
Yes! Thanks for saving me the time to explain this song to them👍
@@emilymartinez6961 and thank you for the same. I'll add Joni was likely an Idol to all the other female voices B-rad is such a fan of.
She's Canadian gold!!! Ah... the magic that is Joni Mitchell ..... she is so beloved. Counting Crows version of Big Yellow Taxi and then Janet Jackson's reimagined version Got 'Til It's Gone are both super wonderful too!!! Thank you for the Canadian Content today ... I loved it!!!!
Joni is one of the top 5 singer/songwriters of the modern era. Both Sides Now is a classic, btw
This is poetic folk music, with meaning that is still so relevant. She is wonderful. She and Bob Dylan from the same genre.
Yes indeed.
The difference is she can sing.
Glad you kept doing "Both Sides Now". Two classic songs from one of the best singer/songwriters of that time.
Your Maple Leaf T-Shirt was appropriate.
Joni is originally from Canada.
Eventually, she settled in Laurel Canyon and an existing artists community grew around her.
Check out the Miniseries Documentary about Laurel Canyon California.
Joni was one of the most influential people in the late 60s and 70s music scene.
Oohhh. The Joni Mitchell rabbit hole.......You guys are in for a massive treat as you fall. Try:
Help Me
A Case of You
River
Free Man In Paris
Amelia
Carey
Cactus Tree
Song For Sharon
Hejira
Coyote
California
Little Green
Woodstock
Lex, bring a tissue box for some of these. And Brad, always have a lyric sheet for these. Joni Mitchell, lyrically, is a female Bob Dylan. But more romantic. And heartbreaking. And thought-provoking. And angelic.
Funfact Janet Jackson sampled joni's vocals from this for the hook of her 1997 hit song " Got Til It's Gone" that's when Janet was experiencing with Hip-Hop/ Trip-Hop beats and sampling techniques.
Counting Crows did a cover they shouldn't have of Big Yellow Taxi as well.
@@isadorealire5722 isdore alire I remember their version too
She's actually got a fantastic voice, you should check out "case of you."
That’s a a great one!
Janet Jackson sampled "Big Yellow Taxi" on one of the songs on her Velvet Rope CD, but I forget which (and Q Tip is on the song saying "Joni Mitchell wouldn't lie").
When I was in HS, a hippy English teacher made us explicate her song "A Case of You" and talk about how it's an example of "metaphysical wit" because I guess we were reading John Donne or Andrew Marvell at the time and she didn't want to read a bunch of papers about "The Flea" or "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning."
This song was covered by Counting Crows and was used in the Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant movie “Two Weeks Notice” in 2002 or 2003
If you watch the show Family Ties the mom sang like this. It’s a folk singer style.
You guys should react to more Joni Mitchell…
"Both Sides Now", "Help Me", "A Case Of You", "River", "Hejira", "The Hissing of Summer Lawns", "The Circle Game", "Coyote", "I Had A King"
🎸🤘
and Raised on Robbery!
"Both Sides Now" is on the back half of this video.
The River
Raised on Robbery
"Big Yellow Taxi" is a great song, but the "bonus song" "Both Sides Now" is a masterpiece. Another of her early masterpieces is "Chelsea Morning".
"Both Sides Now" is EPIC...an all time great song
Hi Alan! Totally agree! It makes me tear up a bit though!
I love it very much but I rarely listen to it as it brings me to tears and leaves me with a deep melancholy. That is the genius of the writing.
Joni is probably the greatest female singer/songwriter of all time in my opinion. So many incredible songs for you to dive into.
I am impressed by musicians who can play an instrument and sing at the same time.
Welcome to folk music!
I REALLY had my doubts as to whether or not you two would like Joni, and I was pleasantly surprised!
Perfect reaction to Joni Mitchell. What can you say? She’s just a treasure!
Hard to believe this is the first time you heard one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) singer/songwriter of the 20th century.
What a talent. Nice to see Brad laugh with that. I did not appreciate Joni Mitchell as much as I should have during my life as a musician - better late than never. She is truly something very special.
Me too…didn’t appreciate her when I was a kid. Now that I’ve picked up guitar later in life, I’m looking back at performers like Joni w a new lens.
She is a genius and to me the most consequential artist of the last sixty years. There is a lot more of her to unpack. Has anybody yet commented that as a result of childhood polio she invented fifty different ways to tune her guitar because her fingers couldn't make the chords she heard in her head? That's why she is constantly tuning her guitar in her performances. She has always grown and evolved in her art. My favorite album of hers is her first, Song to a Seagull and my favorite songs from it are Night in the City, Nathan La Franeer, and The Dawntreader. But she never stopped being unflinchingly authentic and innovative. Her work with jazz musicians is unlike anything else I've ever heard. And if you follow her albums in chronological order you can trace the changes as she matured and grew into different forms. Some other favorites of mine are For Free, the whole Blue album, Woman of Heart and Mind, Help Me, Trouble Child (in my mind a pandemic song dealing with her childhood affliction with polio), and everything from the Hejira album, another absolute masterpiece. The Mingus album is totally unique in the world of jazz. Enjoy.
The studio version has catchy background vocals, and Joni's giggle at the end. Try it.
Next up from Joni Mitchell: "Help Me".
Both Sides Now is so beautiful. Glad you heard it.
My next-door neighbour when I was a kid taught Joni in high school in High River Alberta. She felt there was something special Joni. Wyn, the teacher, was an accomplished artist as is Joni, check out her amazing cover art for some of her albums.
PS: Lex, great description! Mother singing to her daughter. And love the tee:)
Joni went to high school in Saskatoon, at Aden Bowman Collegiate. I believe she was born in Fort Macleod but her family moved to SK when she was very young. They lived in a couple of small towns in the Saskatoon area until she was about 10 and then moved into Saskatoon. Random trivia, the hotel over her shoulder on the cover of Clouds is the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon.
Aw you know I was young when I heard this and Wyn herself was from High River and buried there but she worked around the country. Thanks - too bad for High River;)
Joni actually attended high school in Aden Bowman Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but she did attend the University of Fine Arts in Alberta.
Canada 🇨🇦 in the house again! Canadian ICON ❤❤❤ look into her history with CSNY, and all the bands hanging out around the Hollywood hills in the 60’s
Incredible reactions. Both Sides Now is a lesson in lyricism perfection. In addition to brilliant singing and songwriting, she is one of the best and most sophisticated guitar players of all time. Unique melodies, distinctive tunings to match the song...one of a kind!!
And Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot reactions on the same day. Well done. Two of the top three songwriters of all time (with Bob Dylan). Joni, Dylan, Lightfoot.
When we first moved to Florida I hung out at Madeira Beach and you could just pull off Gulf drive on to the sand and park the car. Sand key was a place to take 4x4 trucks and hangout. They've paved paradise.
The best verse of "Big Yellow Taxi" is the last one, when Joni goes high and then very low, the contrast is almost comic, but she is making a point, and drawing attention to her story.
I feel the best line is about the taxi taking away her old man. That is the personal moment that gives it a deeper emotional meaning.
@@martymar1964 I agree that line is the emotional center of the song, I was just liking her vocal talent more than the actual words. Joni is a great song writer and singer, and guitar player.
What a voice and love the acoustic guitar. I'd guess she played a lot of coffee shops when she started. I love it and I was alive then. Yes you got it friends. She protested with her beautiful lyrics, voice.
One of the most beautiful songs ever is Joni's "Help Me". That song gives me chills - the good kind - every time I hear it
Help Me is spectacular
Joni wrote Clouds(both sides now) very early in her carreer (she was prety much a "starving artist" at that time). At that time Judy Collins liked it so much that she popularized the song before Joni had the chance to perform it (much). For the most part Joni only sang songs that she wrote herself with very few exceptions.
"Big Yellow Taxi" was covered by Amy Grant in 1994, and Counting Crows with Vanessa Carlton in 2003. It's sampled in "Got 'til It's Gone" by Janet Jackson. It speaks to so many people.
Honestly I always thought it was Amy Grant’s song.
Her voice makes me cry. So beautiful.
Did you notice how she casually tuned the guitar without a reference pitch? She has the gift of perfect pitch which is rare.
Brad Lex: (FYI) Joni Mitchell contracted polio as a child, she wanted to learn to play music, and tried to learn guitar, but couldn't do traditional chords because of the effects of polio, so she taught herself to play guitar using chords that she made up and her very own way of tuning her guitar. A wonderful, wonderful talent.
Another wonderful female singer of the 60's is Judy Collins ('Judy Blue Eyes', the song CSN wrote about her), I get misty eyed when she sings "In My Life".
Joni also wrote "Woodstock" performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash.
Judy Collins, the subject of "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" by CS&N had a hit with "Both Sides Now".
Of all her songs, "The Circle Game," is one you two should check out. I bet it will touch your hearts.
That is so crazy when you made the comment, "It's almost like your Mom could play the guitar" I play guitar and piano, and believe me, my kids were raised on this kind of music!! Joni is from the same area I was born. She wrote everything she sang. A treasure of North America to be sure!!
She was very chill. She was so relatable. She is a 60s icon. I love her. She is the quintessential folk singer. As the song said " you don't know what you've got til it's gone". I miss the freedom we had and took for granted back then.
Out of every reaction I've seen from you, I think this is the most impressed I've been with Brad ! .. He nails both songs here and was really tuned into what Joni was saying, as well as picking out things such as the many "voices" that she alternated in during her singing .. Great work from both of you, but on this occasion, particularly Brad.👍
Joni started out by playing in coffee houses and hootenannies/jamborees, so being alone on stage with her acoustic was pretty normal. In Ottawa, places like Café l’Hibou e.g. “it was a scene, man”. Joni was also invited by The Band to play at their Last Waltz show - iconic!
Joni is pretty much a legend. She's a bit before my time. She seems genuine and legit. And super-gifted and accomplished.
Joni Mitchell what a bloody legend! Great reaction guys!
You guys got it!!! No more nature, just concrete. She saw this decades ago and now it's here. Both Sides Now is such a beautiful look at love and live. I think we've all had the thought " I really don't know life at all." So beautiful.
One of the queens of the 60s and 70s music scene ..along with Janis and Aretha ...Aretha the Queen of R & B...Janis the Queen of rock and roll.. Joni Mitchell The Queen of folk rock the music of my youth ( yea I'm old ) but i like your guys reactions to the old tunes ..tells us that there timeless...good music is good music doesn't matter how old you are
Grew up listening to artists like Joni Mitchell and others that show up during your Canada streams like Gordon Lightfoot , The Guess Who , Neil Young , Rush , and others. Wish some lesser known Canadian artists would make it on and win a poll once in awhile. One in particular is a guy named K-OS , a progressive hip hop artist who was extremely well known from the late 90’s to the late 00’s. He was likely a huge influence on artists like Drake and The Weekend. The kicker is ... he looks a lot like Brad !! Hoping the couch gang checks out some of his songs like “Crabbuckit” , “Man I Used to Be” , “Spaceships” , or “Sunday Morning” and get him on a poll next Canadian stream. I’d love to see Lex’s reaction when she sees how much he looks like Brad ... Lol.
One of are all time bests, she’s a cool lady, listen to the song both sides now, with the orchestra, it’s spectacular
This song has a great message, even today
You're probably thinking of Janet Jackson's song Got 'Til It's Gone. She had a sample of Joni singing part of the chorus for it. You should also listen to the Carly Simon song "You're So Vain," which Janet also incorporated into her song Son Of A Gun, though in that case she actually had Carly singing more on the song. Joni has been in poor health for years, so I don't think she was able to add any new vocals the way that Carly did.
One of the best singer songwriters of all time. Only Dylan and Leonard cohen are in the same league.
Over the moon that you have opened the Joni factor. She is a songwriter's songwriter. That she can also sing and perform is icing on the cake. She may well be the best of all. Listen to "Circle Game" from Miles of Aisles, and see if that doesn't convince you. "Twisted" and "God Must Be a Boogie Man", and dozens and dozens of other songs are out there for the taking.
Help Me is outstanding too! Joni is top notch songwriting
Notice how effortlessly she handles the applause during Big Yellow Taxi? They clap when she is ready for a line and she just goes around again without even flinching. A singer-songwriter in a league of her own.
That was actually one of your best reactions.
She's a massive Canadian icon like Gordon Lightfoot or the Tragically Hip. One song I really love from her in winter is 'River'. I spent many years in retail at Christmas time with maybe a day or two off...missing my friends, family and boyfriend wishing for a nap or a river to skate away on