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THE ALBUM
Title: Blue
Release date: June 22, 1971
Genre: Singer/Songwriter // Folk-rock
Mood: Elegant, Somber, Intimate
Joni Mitchell was 27 years old at the date of the Blue's release. It is her fourth studio album.
Joni Mitchell is credited as the sole writer and producer for all the songs on the album. It was recorded and released in California, U.S.A. in 1971.
On the making of this album, Joni Mitchell had the following to say:
During the making of Blue, I was just so thin-skinned and delicate that if anybody looked at me I'd burst into tears. I was so vulnerable and I felt so naked in my work. [...] My individual psychological descent coincided, ironically, with my ascent into the public eye. They were putting me on a pedestal and I was wobbling! So, you know, I took it upon myself that, since I was a public voice and was subject to this kind of weird worship, that they should know who they were worshipping. (From the documentary film Joni Mitchell: A Woman of Heart and Mind)
On the confessional and deeply intimate nature of the songs on Blue, Joni shared her experience of playing them to her male musician friends:
At that time, we were all still young enough that we played our songs for each other. It horrified all the male singer-songwriters around me. I was amused. They were embarrassed for me. Because the popular song had been about posturing. I had been self-aggrandizing. The feminine appetite for intimacy is stronger than it is in men. So my songwriter friends listened and they all shut down, even Neil Young. The only one who spoke up was Kris Kistofferson, "Jesus, Joni," he said. "Save something for yourself."
THE ARTIST
Artist: Joni Mitchell
Nationality: Canadian
THE IMPACT
Blue's most-streamed song on Spotify is A Case Of You with over 100,000,000 streams.
Rolling Stone named Blue the third greatest album of all time on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list (published in 2020).
NPR named Blue the number one best album by a woman on their 2017 list 150 Greatest Albums Made by Women.
It is a record full of love songs, of sad songs; but more than that, it is a compendium of reasonable demands that too many men in too many women's lives heard, in 1971, as pipe dreams or outrageous follies. "All I really, really want our love to do, is to bring out the best in me and in you, too," Mitchell sang to an elusive partner on the album's first track. That line, like so many of the melodic and lyrical gestures throughout Blue, is simple, but so radical.
Other reviews said:
Sad, spare, and beautiful, Blue is the quintessential confessional singer/songwriter album. (Jason Ankeny on AllMusic)
Blue is brimming with moments like this—otherwise pedestrian snapshots that Mitchell renders eternal. It’s not enough for her to say she’s lonely when her lover leaves; her ache is visceral, one that’s felt in the space he leaves behind in a tangle of bedsheets and the skillet that makes one breakfast instead of two. (Apple Music)
YouTube channel "Produce Like A Pro" has a fascinating video essay describing the artistic process, historical context, and long-lasting cultural impact of this album. Click here to watch Albums That Changed Music: Joni Mitchell - Blue (duration is approximately 35 minutes).
THE REST
Joni Mitchell says she’s removing music from Spotify - January 2022
In a public post on her website, she made the following statement regarding the decision to remove her music from Spotify:
I Stand With Neil Young!
I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify. Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.
THE CONVERSATION
This post brought back so many visceral memories of this album when it was first released in 1971. I am now picturing the deeply saturated blue inks used on the cardboard record sleeve so vividly that it's like the newly-purchased album is in my hands at this very moment. I clearly remember like it's yesterday placing the disc on the spindle of the record player I saved to buy up as a teenager - a stereo! - and watching the platter drop down, the needle arm swing over, the needle hitting the vinyl and the music beginning to play... and Joni Mitchell's voice singing, "Traveling, traveling, traveling..."
But what I remember most of all is my mother knocking on my bedroom door on many occasions during my "Blue" period and telling me in an aggravated voice, "Turn it down! Or better yet, play something else. That god damn album is driving me insane! If I have to listen to it one more time, I'm going to break it over someone's head."
What an inspired choice for the first Album of the Week! I love this record so, so much.
I love the warm and fuzzy production, the intimacy of the acoustic guitar, her beautiful, effortless, uncontrived singing style, the mood and the lyrical imagery. 'Clean white linen and fancy french cologne' / 'Blue.. songs are like tattoos / you know I've been to sea before'.
I particularly love the way she weaves the word 'blue' and all the different meanings of 'blue' through several of the songs. It's a perfect album. It has much sadness but at the same time feels like a hug.
One of my favorite albums of all time. Every song is wonderful and they all fit together. Thank you for posting this!
Joni's voice is magical. I like this album and that hippie singer songwriter scene in general.
At that time, we were all still young enough that we played our songs for each other.
I think that was part of what made that scene she was part of so good, the collaboration and friendship between artists.
Joni's voice is magical.
Absolutely. Her voice drew me in like a magnet. I stayed for the poignant lyrics and gentle acoustic guitar.
The thing that kept bringing me back was her rich, silky voice. Appreciating the songwriting came after that for me.
One interesting thing about her songwriting style is she used a lot of unusual guitar tunings many of which she invented herself by tuning it to where the open chord sounded how she felt (that's how she put it if I recall correctly)
Thanks for writing up an intro to this album. It made me want to listen to it :). Currently listening to it and I'm excited to hear how she reveals her vulnerabilities. I hope I can learn something from her.
I've never listened to this! Just started. Really looking forward to it.
edit: Thoughts
Carey - first song I got really into. I like songs with a strong beat. I didn't really care for the first three, because they're all vocals no beat (in my impression). Maybe my tastes will change after I fall in love with her as a lyricist.
Blue - liked this one, for its frank descriptions of the drug use in the scene she was in. That drew me in and made me feel like she was really being honest. My interest faded though, just because it was back to more moody pianos, not much beat, and occluded lyrics.
California - enjoying the melody and beat of this one. The fun melody and beat is a really nice complement to the personal lyrics. I'm also starting to be really impressed by the quality of her voice - very clear even when she goes high, and she has a real songbird quality to her.
This Flight Tonight - enjoying the driving tempo of this song. I think I'm on board with her style, which involves a lot of changing registers for emphasis.
River - This is the song I've definitely heard before. It's nice enough; pretty, a little melancholy, but I've never liked it much. I think that just comes down to me liking songs that are a little more uptempo.
A Case of You: Pretty.
All in all, this album was too slow and introspective for me to really get into. I'm very drawn by strong beats and melodies. I think she was the most successful with songs like "California", which were a little more upbeat and featured melody more strongly.
I could see this really growing on me if I listened to it more, and I think that I would have been in love with it if I was from a time when women were not very personal and open in their work. I can appreciate how revolutionary these confessional songs must have been at the time.
I love this so much, thank you for sharing your thoughts! I enjoyed reading this comment.
I remember having the exact same reaction as you when I first listened to the album and got to Carey. I love how much she sounds like she's enjoying singing it.
Yes, I was impressed by her voice in the same way. I like your "songbird" description.
I enjoy this album, and in particular the song "Little Green." I didn't understand it when I first listened to it, but I could hear the poignancy. After learning that it was about a baby she gave up for adoption, the lyrics made complete sense and became more poignant than ever.
Her love songs to men are less thematically interesting to me, but she has such vocal skill and her songwriting is so clever I'm happy to listen to them anyway.
I sing along loudly to this whole album (alone, I hasten to add), apart from Little Green. First it feels too personal for me to sing with her, and second whenever I have tried to sing along I start feeling what she is feeling and i choke up and my voice comes out in a squeak-sob and I start crying.
"Just a Little Green, like the colour when the spring is born" gets me every time.
Hearing it for the first time. Wow. The pain, love, and depth in this song is kinda shattering my heart.
I first heard this song right after giving birth to my baby girl and it of kind of broke me. I couldn't dream of giving her up and so this hit too close to home. I haven't been able to listen to it again yet.
I recently acquired a number of her albums on cassette but haven’t listened to them yet. This is one of them, hurrah! I’ll give it a listen (or three+) and be back to discuss!
Blue's most-streamed song on Spotify is A Case Of You with over 100,000,000 streams.
I think I can account for 10% of this. I've listened to this song on repeat so many times. I'm sad she's removing her music from Spotify, but I don't mind supporting her by buying the album :)
Interesting, I'm surprised River is not the most popular track! It was the only one I had heard before hearing the whole album and the only one I've heard covers of. Case of you is a great choice though
You did it ! Thank you xx
Welcome to the first ever Album of the Week music discussion post. I decided to start with a classic piece of work from a familiar name. I hope the length of the post isn't intimidating, it's just interesting things related to the album.
Feedback, suggestions, and album recommendations are always welcome. Leave a comment here or DM me.
Not intimidating at all, and interesting - even for someone who’s only heard Big Yellow Taxi of all her songs (and Woodstock but sung by CSN&Y).
The length of the post is not intimidating at all; I love reading these facts. I'm excited for more posts like this!
That's very reassuring, I appreciate it!