Blue (1971) is the fourth album of Canadian-born singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Exploring the various facets of relationships from infatuation on "A Case of You" to insecurity on "This Flight Tonight", the songs feature simple accompaniments on piano, guitar, and Appalachian dulcimer. Blue was a critical and commercial success, reaching #15 in the Billboard Album charts and #3 in the UK. The single "Carey" reached #93 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
History
After the success of her first three albums and songs like "Woodstock", Mitchell decided in 1970 to take a break from performing. While traveling around Europe she wrote many of the songs that appear on Blue.
The album was almost released in a somewhat different form. In March 1971, completed masters for the album were ready for production. Originally, there were three old songs that had not found their way on to any of her previous albums. At the last minute, Mitchell decided to remove two of the three so that she could add the new songs "All I Want" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard". "Urge for Going", her first song to achieve commercial success when recorded by country singer George Hamilton IV, was removed. (It was later released as the B-side of "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" and again on her 1996 compilation album, Hits.) Also removed was "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)", which has yet to appear on any official record. "Little Green", composed in 1967, was the only old song that remained.
There has been persistent speculation that the album, and particularly the title track, were named after fellow songwriter David Blue,[1] who was a friend and possibly love interest of Mitchell's when the album was released. She has denied the connection.
In 1979 Mitchell reflected, "The Blue album, there's hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn't pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either."[2]
The album was influenced by jazz, particularly the music of Miles Davis. Mitchell used alternative tunings on her guitar to allow easier access to augmented chords and notes in unexpected combinations.[3]
Honours
- In 2003, Blue was ranked #30 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the '500 Greatest Albums of All Time'[4]
- In 2000, Blue won the top spot in Chart's '50 Greatest Canadian Albums of All Time' (Blue was third place in 1996 and 2005)
- In 2007, Blue was ranked second in Bob Mersereau's book The Top 100 Canadian Albums, behind Neil Young's Harvest (which was the second-place finisher in all three Chart polls)
- In 2001, Blue was ranked #14 on VH1's list of the '100 Greatest Albums of All Time', the highest album by a female artist to appear on the list.[5]
- Blue was also voted #13 on Hotpress Magazine's 'Top 100 Albums Ever', by various other artists
- In 2002, Q Magazine named "Blue" the 8th Greatest Album of All-Time by a Female Artist.[6]
- Blue was voted #66 in Channel 4's countdown of the '100 Greatest Albums'
- In 2006, Blue was listed among Time Magazine's 'All-Time 100 Albums' [7]
- In 1999, Blue was given the honor of a Grammy Hall of Fame award, which is given to recordings that are at least 25 years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance"
Track listing
All tracks composed and arranged by Joni Mitchell
- "All I Want" – 3:32
- "My Old Man" – 3:33
- "Little Green" – 3:25
- "Carey" – 3:00
- "Blue" – 3:00
- "California" – 3:48
- "This Flight Tonight" – 2:50
- "River" – 4:00
- "A Case of You" – 4:20
- "The Last Time I Saw Richard" – 4:13
Personnel
Production
- Engineer - Henry Lewy
- Art Direction - Gary Burden
- Cover Photography - Tim Considine
Trivia
On his album The New Year Tapes, Irish singer-songwriter Philip Morrow has a song entitled "Blue," which is a tribute to Mitchell's album. The song includes the lyric: "I got some Joni Mitchell in London town, but that record does much more than just spin around." Morrow has also covered A Case of You
A sample from the title track appears in "Catch My Drift", a 1989 song by the British group A.R. Kane.
References
- ^ Eliot, Marc (2005). To the Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles, p. 298. Da Capo Press. ISBN 030681398X.
- ^ Crowe, Cameron (1979-07-26). "Joni Mitchell". Rolling Stone, CameronCrowe.com. http://www.cameroncrowe.com/eyes_ears/articles/crowe_jrl_joni_mitchell.html. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.
- ^ Fusilli, Jim (November 4, 2008). "A 65th Birthday Tribute to Joni Mitchell". The Wall Street Journal: p. D7.
- ^ The Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
- ^ Rock On The Net: VH1: 100 Greatest Albums
- ^ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#Women
- ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (2006-11-13). "The All-TIME 100 Albums: Blue". Time. http://www.time.com/time/2006/100albums/0,27693,Blue,00.html. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.
External links
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