Happy Belated Video Birthday to Scorpio Joni Mitchell

by Robert Wilkinson

Due to popular demand, today we celebrate one of the great songwriters of all time, the amazing Joni Mitchell. I let Nov 7 go by without this tribute due to getting lost in election 2008 that week, choosing instead to analyze Barack Obama's chart for that day. So today we'll take a look at a remarkable woman.

Born November 7, 1943, this Grammy winning, self-described "painter derailed by circumstance" has given us such great songs. Think "Big Yellow Taxi," "Both Sides Now," "The Circle Game," "Chelsea Morning," "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio," and the legendary "Woodstock," to name but a few.

Truly one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century, this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's songs and style of performance combines folk, jazz, pop, and rock creating a unique sound that provided early hits for acts like Judy Collins, Dave Van Ronk, Buffy Ste. Marie and Crosby, Still, and Nash. Other contemporary acts influenced by or performing songs by Joni include Elvis Costello, Annie Lennox, Eva Cassidy, Sheryl Crow, Madonna, Emmylou Harris, Sonic Youth, Tori Amos, Björk, Morrissey, Dan Fogelberg, Janet Jackson, Prince, George Michael, Juice Newton, and too many others to list here.

In the 70s she even worked with amazing jazz cats Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, and even Charles Mingus. Other collaborative greats? Try Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Don Henley, Peter Gabriel, and Billy Idol. She's definitely got respect in a business that shows little to anyone!

And now, on with the show! I found a bunch of great videos from various concerts, so kick back and enjoy a large number of great performances. You'll find even more as you go through these, since they all link to quite a few other greats by this unique talent.

We start with the classic Big Yellow Taxi from a 1970 performance.

Here's another from 1970 with Joni doing Both Sides Now

An early gem of Joni doing The Circle Game in 1966.

Here's a 1969 performance of Chelsea Morning

From the Johnny Cash show, I found several songs. Here are California and an exquisite duet with Johnny of the Bob Dylan gem Girl from the North Country. There are more clips of her performances on the Johnny Cash show, so if you're inclined, kick back and enjoy!

Free Man in Paris

We close this mini-concert with three from the BBC. We begin with California, follow with My Old Man and end with Cactus. Again, there are several more video clips from these sessions available, so enjoy yourselves with some remarkable footage of this remarkable songbird.

Happy Birthday, Joni. There are a bunch of us out here that think you're the best!!

© Copyright 2008 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Sandra]

Thanks, Robert for the links to Joni's performances. She was a featured artist in the PBS series, American Masters. It's worth checking out if you're a Joni Fan.

Namaste,

Sandra

[Lainie]

Thank you, Robert! Joni is truly an inspiring artist who transcends time.
As you've mentioned, there are some great covers of Joni songs, too -- Prince's version of A Case of You, from last year's tribute album, is breathtaking.

[Damien]

Aw, kudos to you Robert for this!!! She is truly on of the most amazing song-writers of all time. I've always found that female Scorpios (Rickie Jee Jones, Joni, Bjork) are able to pierce, incandesce, and sublimitize the human experience or maybe even the universal experience better than any other astrological subset.

Thanks,
D

[Melody]

Joni Mitchell is an absolute FAVORITE of mine especially the song Both Sides Now, A woman of heart and mind and Shadow's and Light .. :) Fabulous
Check some cool tunes of hers as favorites on my
youtube ... http://www.youtube.com/user/Eureka2020IQ
Namaste to all
Melody

[Gemini 14]

She was an original in so many ways. Thank you, Robert!

[reefaroundme]

Yay, thanks! Those BBC videos are just stunning. I always call "For the Roses," "Blue" and "Court and Spark" the holy trinity, though that's leaving out a few great albums.

Can anyone tell what Joni song my user name is from?

[A]

Hi!
And happy B'day to Joni, (the beautiful one!
Does anyone know if she wrote/performed "Nicola and Bart"?

Thanks
A

[Micheline]

Joni Mitchell is awesome. She makes me proud to be a Canadian!!!
But also I appreciate her wisdom, her brilliance and her poetic and musical genius. Thank you Joni for teaching me so many things.

[Shell]

Joni Mitchell inspired me to write my first song. Happy Birthday to her!
and thank you Robert for your wisdom & insight

[Diane Scholten]

Oh Robert you made me cry. I ADORE Joni. These videos (and then the zillion i've tapped into on YouTube from then) brought my youth racing back like i was still there. Seeing 20-something Joni and then Joni now interviewed by TAvis smiley - it was like a medley of my own rushing-by-too-quickly life. Can't believe I'm fixing to turn 60 in February, can't believe Joni is a grandma. It all goes too fast. And she captures my heart like no one else. Thank you Robert.

[Damien]

'reefaroundme'...Banquet!!!!! :) one of my faves.

[Robert]

Hi all - Glad I can make so many so happy!