Joni Mitchell: A whole world in one mind
"Joni Mitchell took this potent popular image that has been building for 7 or 8 years anyway, the 'California girl', the 'beach boy's girl', the beautiful golden girl with the long hair parted in the middle. And Joni not only was the girl, but she was also the Bob Dylan, the Paul Simon, the Lennon-McCartney writing it. You know, she was the whole package; she was the subject and she was the painter." - Bill Flanagan
When you listen to Joni Mitchell's music, what do you think of? and what do you feel? Maybe you'd say you feel like you want to fly with the clouds, feel the wind hug you warmly or coldly, make you want to dive into the deepest meanings of life. It's unexplainable. But one thing that her listeners would probably say is - it's real and authentic. No one does it like Joni Mitchell.
As young as 9 years old, Joni contracted polio and it was in the hospital where she began singing to an audience of patients. Joni had always been an artist, she said in one of her interviews, she loved painting and music was her hobby.
She trained herself to play guitar, studied in an art college and performed at local folk clubs and coffehouses until suddenly, she became one of the most anticipated music artists on the big stages during late 1960s and '70s.
She was even described as the "Yang to Bob Dylan's Yin, equalling him in richness and profusion of imagery." Indeed, her music paints a world in your mind, rides you in a sea of feeling, it opens your perspectives about different aspects in a new way. And she does it all so with honesty.
In the mid' 1960s, she moved to the United States and by 1968, she recorded her first album "Joni Mitchell" produced by David Crosby. It was the beginning of her success, more albums followed which gained her numerous accolades. Her sophomore album Clouds released in 1969 being the first one to win her a Grammy Award (best folk performance), her next album, Ladies of the Canyons became her first gold album and was a mainstream success including her hit singles "Big yellow taxi" and "The Circle game." It was also during this time when she experimented more on the genres of pop and rock. Some of her other most soulful and famous successful recordings include Blue (1971) being her first-million selling album, The Hissing of Summer lawns (1975) which conveyed more of Joni's societal views based on her social observation, Hejira (1976), and Turbulent indigo (1994).
By 1974, Joni showcased her jazz skills in her album Court and sparks which was her best-selling album that garnered another Grammy award as Best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocalist(s) and was highly praised by critics.
Her expressive songs continue to inspire, motivate, influence and amaze even the younger generation of today. Differently styled covers of her songs by other musicians had also gained much recognition. Although she isn’t as popular as she was during her prime, Joni Mitchell's music continues to give light for those in the darkness, speak for the voiceless and comfort people in their time of loneliness.
"When forests rise to block the light that keeps a traveler sane, I'll challenge them with flashes from a brighter time"
From a verse of her song "I think I understand." Joni speaks of her courage of facing her fears, finally stepping out of the comfort zone and becoming a stronger person. Problems, challenges, struggles, they may all block her way again but she will fight it much braver than she did in her yesterday's battles. Dark experiences made colorful, beautiful as a musical masterpiece, it fires up a person's will to live no matter how hard life gets.
"And I play if you have the money or if you're a friend to me, but the one man band by the quick lunch stand, he was playing real good for free."
From her song "For free." It reminds us of how we should keep our passion alive and well, reminds us of the reasons on why we pursue it - it is to be happy. We don't become artists or do what we are passionate about for the sake of turning heads our way, we pursue our passion for the reason that it is what our hearts desire. In this song, Joni expressed how the passing years had changed her, she's still passionate but her experiences has grown her tired, and her passion wasn't as fiery as it was in her earlier days. It made her look back on the beginnings of her career. It is an inspiring piece of music that nudges us from the chaos of our mind and of our surroundings, reminding us of the goals we have set to achieve.
"I've looked at life from both sides now from win and lose and still somehow, it's life's illusions I recall. I really don't know life at all."
From the last chorus of her song "Both sides now." Life is messy, so many paths to take on, bigger and much bigger problems to overcome and other aspects of it. It can get too complicated and you may even lose yourself in it. It is truly incredible how Joni Mitchell sings not only to express her mind, but also to move the hearts of her listeners. Like this song of hers, Both sides now, deeply relatable and vulnerable. Such moments prove the creativeness and greatness of a music artist; when one feels the singing of a musician’s heart and understand their message through each changing melodies, the song becomes a live soulful person or even a whole world in one mind.
