Blue (Joni Mitchell album)

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Blue
Blue cover
Studio album by Joni Mitchell
Released June 1971
Recorded 1971
Genre Folk-rock, Singer-songwriter
Length 35:41
Label Reprise
MS 2038
Producer(s)  ?
Professional reviews
Joni Mitchell chronology
Ladies of the Canyon
(1970)		 Blue
(1971)		 For the Roses
(1972)


Blue is the 1971 album of Canadian-born singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Among Joni's early output, this sad, poetic collection of intimate confessional songs is her most critically acclaimed. From 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, and it peaked in the top 20 in the Billboard Album charts in September of 1971. The single "Carey" reached #93 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Contents

[edit] History

After the success of her first three albums and songs like "Woodstock," Mitchell decided in 1970 to take a break from performing. While travelling around Europe she learned to play the dulcimer and wrote many of the songs that appear on Blue.

The album was almost released in a somewhat different form. In March of 1971, completed masters for the album were ready for production. Originally, there were three old songs that had not found their way on to one 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, 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."[1]

[edit] Honours

In 2003, the album was ranked number 30 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In Chart's three reader polls to determine the 50 greatest Canadian albums of all time, Blue won the top spot in 2000 and third place in 1996 and 2005. It was also ranked #14 on a list compiled by VH1 of the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time, the highest album by a female artist to appear on the list. [1] In addition, it was also voted also 13 on Hotpress Magazine's "Top 100 Albums ever" by various other artists, and was voted 66th in Channel 4's countdown of the 100 Greatest Albums. It was listed among the "All-Time 100 albums by Time magazine in november 2006.[2]

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."

[edit] Track listing

All songs written and composed by Mitchell.

  1. "All I Want" – 3:32
  2. "My Old Man" – 3:33
  3. "Little Green" – 3:25
  4. "Carey" – 3:00
  5. "Blue" – 3:00
  6. "California" – 3:48
  7. "This Flight Tonight" – 2:50
  8. "River" – 4:00
  9. "A Case of You" – 4:20
  10. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" – 4:13

[edit] Personnel

  • Joni Mitchell - Appalacian Dulcimer, Guitar, Piano, Vocals
  • Stephen Stills - Bass & Guitar on "Carey"
  • James Taylor - Guitar on "California", "All I Want", "A Case of You"
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Pedal Steel on "California", "This Flight Tonight"
  • Russ Kunkel - Drums on "California", "Carey", "A Case of You"

[edit] Production

  • Engineer - Henry Lewy
  • Art Direction - Gary Burden
  • Cover Photography - Tim Considine

[edit] References

  1. ^ Crowe, Cameron. "Joni Mitchell", Rolling Stone, CameronCrowe.com, 1979-07-26. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.
  2. ^ Tyrangiel, Josh. "The All-TIME 100 Albums: Blue", Time, 2006-11-13. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.

[edit] External links

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