Court and Spark

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Court and Spark
Studio album by Joni Mitchell
Released	January 1974
Recorded	1973
Genre	Folk jazz, Singer-songwriter
Length	36:52
Label	Asylum
Producer	Joni Mitchell
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (A) link
Joni Mitchell chronology
For the Roses (1972) Court and Spark (1974) Miles of Aisles (1974)

Court and Spark is Canadian singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell's 1974 full-length release. Her most commercially successful album, Court and Spark infused her folk-rock style with jazz inflections.

Contents 1 History 2 Honours 3 Track listing 4 Personnel

[edit] History

Before Christmas 1973, a single, "Raised On Robbery", was released, which both shocked and excited fans with its radically different sound. In January 1974, the album, Court and Spark, was released and was immediately greeted with open arms by both the public and the critics. It seemed to her longtime fans that she had made an approach towards a more "pop" sound without compromising her artistic ideals. In March, the single "Help Me" was launched and became Joni's first and only Top 10 single; it peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the first week of June.

The album went all the way to #2 on the Billboard album charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

[edit] Honours

• In 1974, Court and Spark was voted the 'Best Album of the Year' in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll
• In 2003, Court and Spark was ranked #111 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the '500 Greatest Albums of All Time'
• In 2006, Court and Spark was included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks composed and arranged by Joni Mitchell; except where indicated

1. "Court and Spark" – 2:46
2. "Help Me" – 3:22
3. "Free Man in Paris" – 3:02
4. "People's Parties" – 2:15
5. "Same Situation" – 2:57
6. "Car on a Hill" – 3:02
7. "Down to You" – 5:38
8. "Just Like this Train" – 4:24
9. "Raised on Robbery" – 3:06
10. "Trouble Child" – 4:00
11. "Twisted" – 2:21 (Originally performed by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross)

[edit] Personnel

• Joni Mitchell - Vocals, including background; acoustic guitar; piano; clavinet on "Down to You"
• John Guerin - Drums and percussion
• Wilton Felder - Bass
• Max Bennett - Bass on "Trouble Child"
• Jim Hughart - Bass on "People's Parties" and "Free Man in Paris"
• Milt Holland - Chimes on "Court and Spark"
• Tom Scott - Woodwinds and reeds
• Chuck Findley - Trumpet on "Twisted" and "Trouble Child"
• Joe Sample - Electric piano, clavinet on "Raised on Robbery".
• David Crosby - Background vocals on "Free Man in Paris" and "Down to You"
• Graham Nash - Background vocals on "Free Man in Paris"
• Susan Webb - Background vocals on "Down to You"
• Larry Carlton - Electric guitar
• Wayne Perkins - Electric guitar on "Car on a Hill"
• Dennis Budimir - Electric guitar on "Trouble Child"
• Robbie Robertson - Electric guitar on "Raised on Robbery"
• Jose Feliciano - Electric guitar on "Free Man in Paris"
• Cheech Marin - Background voice on "Twisted"
• Tommy Chong - Background voice on "Twisted"