Thank you for such an intelligent and articulate analysis. I'd been following Joni since 1971, when Hejira came out. I remember I was in a listening booth. The opening chords in Coyote sounded like a whole new aural world to me -- I was enthralled. I had to listen to that opening over and over to try to figure what it was that made it so unique. The polytonality, the bell-like base, the layered colors, and of course the WORDS! I was a young boy in love with a married man... this song spoke to me.
The song that hooked me onto Joni M - big style - and is still my favourite, forty years after discovering it. The song has everything and is totally hypnotic - even Bob Dylan his self couldn't believe how amazing it is - as you can see if you search for an embryonic version of the song on this very website!
The tuning shown @2:00 is incorrect. The correct tuning is (low to high) CGDFCE not CGBFCE. This makes the stacked C/G/F chords analysis incorrect. If you look at videos of Mitchell performing this song, or the still seen in this video (taken from the Rolling Thunder doc), you'll see the first chord shape she fingers looks like an A major chord at the 2nd fret, which in the tuning you show would include a C# (on the D string), which doesn't fit the context.
I wondered if The Coyote was Neil Young because of the references to living on a ranch, and being too far from Bay of Fundy and appaloosas. One of the lineages of the breed is the Highs’ Crazy Horse appaloosa
At the time Joni Mitchell met Sam Shepard, he had a home in a place called Hilltop Farm near Cape Chignecto Park on the Bay of Fundy. He raised appaloosa horses there. Joni's lyric about Sam being "too far from the Bay of Fundy" is her implying that he's too far from his wife and his home. Hope that helps understand it.
Thanks, I really enjoyed this. Been listening for decades, and Joni has composed and produced some of my favorite music of all time.
Glad you liked it, and thanks for the comment. Joni's one of the greats, no doubt about it.
Love this sharing, great video, thank you
Superb analysis of a great song. D
Thank you!
Thank you for such an intelligent and articulate analysis. I'd been following Joni since 1971, when Hejira came out. I remember I was in a listening booth. The opening chords in Coyote sounded like a whole new aural world to me -- I was enthralled. I had to listen to that opening over and over to try to figure what it was that made it so unique. The polytonality, the bell-like base, the layered colors, and of course the WORDS! I was a young boy in love with a married man... this song spoke to me.
We love you Joni
You re just Amazing
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom here
One of my favourite songs. Thanks!
The song that hooked me onto Joni M - big style - and is still my favourite, forty years after discovering it. The song has everything and is totally hypnotic - even Bob Dylan his self couldn't believe how amazing it is - as you can see if you search for an embryonic version of the song on this very website!
I'll always remember the Last Dance and her great rendition of Coyote...genius
Completely agree that this is Joni at her best. Coyote is probably in my top 5 of hers but I think it's probably her best song.
The tuning shown @2:00 is incorrect. The correct tuning is (low to high) CGDFCE not CGBFCE. This makes the stacked C/G/F chords analysis incorrect.
If you look at videos of Mitchell performing this song, or the still seen in this video (taken from the Rolling Thunder doc), you'll see the first chord shape she fingers looks like an A major chord at the 2nd fret, which in the tuning you show would include a C# (on the D string), which doesn't fit the context.
I wondered if The Coyote was Neil Young because of the references to living on a ranch, and being too far from Bay of Fundy and appaloosas. One of the lineages of the breed is the Highs’ Crazy Horse appaloosa
At the time Joni Mitchell met Sam Shepard, he had a home in a place called Hilltop Farm near Cape Chignecto Park on the Bay of Fundy. He raised appaloosa horses there. Joni's lyric about Sam being "too far from the Bay of Fundy" is her implying that he's too far from his wife and his home. Hope that helps understand it.
I read that her and Neil were close but too close in personalities to ever be romantically involved.