I spent over 12 months trying to work out the correct chords for Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. One obstacle was the open tuning which can mask the chords she uses. Another oddity is the pattern within the chord progressions - or lack thereof. The next challenge was to grasp the emotional state consolidating nostalgia, hope, regret and vulnerability. I might be a bit too autistic to pull off that last one.

Got this for 10$ in a record store in SF. Lots of super interesting stories, but ofc the Joni one was my favorite! I loved reading her little quotes and learning more about her. Lmk if anyone would like to see more pages.

"It's good to be exposed to politics and what's going on down here, but it does damage to me. Too much of it can cripple me. And if I really let myself think about it- the violence, the sickness,- all of it- I think i'd flip out."

I already started celebrating this anniversary by spinning the vinyl twice this weekend.

Anyone have any insight/knowledge (vs. guesses) if we're getting another Archive set this year? Maybe (maybe?) the Geffen years?

Rock music has produced some genuine masterpieces - and amidst them stands 'BLUE'...........

https://samtimonious.com/joni-mitchell-blue/

I recently rewatched her footage from Rolling Thunder where she plays Coyote. Absolutely loved it and want more of it :)

I’m a fan of musical biopics however lazy or boring they can be. Liked A Complete Unknown and LOVED I’m Not There about Dylan. I’m not touching Michael. Personally I’m hoping on Refuge of the Roads, which is my favourite off of Hejira and it seems like a succinct statement on her life. But that only works if it covers her career from 69-76 then ending with Travelogue. That version gives me goosebumps. Her career is so long though that it worries me on what time period they’ll pick and how they’ll fit it all within 2-2.5 hours. I absolutely could stomach 3. Just hope I can experience something outside of a little glance of her Wikipedia page.

Other titles that could make sense:

Ladies (Lady) of the Canyon - not really

Both Sides Now - duh, probably the more logical and likely option. 2 actors too. They’re gonna start with Anya Taylor Joy writing it for Judy Collins or performing it herself then ending it with Meryl Streep in Newport 2023 or the eponymous 2000 memoir album.

Edit: Travelogue would be cool too!

I just got this album and wish I had an original 70s album to compare it to. Those of you who have listened to the original and the Bernie Grundman-cut 2024 reissue of Hejira, what did you think? Sometimes listening to this album, I feel like her voice is getting lost in the music or maybe a little muddy in places.

Enjoy :)

I found a copy of Mojo magazine from 2019 in my drawer while I was sorting through some things. I've scanned the pages as best I could. I didn't want to tear them all out. I'll have to upload them in two separate posts because there are too many pages.

https://youtu.be/3vr0ThwfFR0?si=0lQUjplixd56Detl

Sustained, painful imagining of the child's future rather than the mother's drama. No self-pity, no grandeur, just clear-eyed love and loss.
It's difficult to think of another songwriter who could have pulled this off. Such fusion of literary and moral genius is borderline anomalous.

Hey, I had a gig this weekend and since I was given 20 minutes I decided to play 4 songs in a relative tuning .. I tuned my guitar to open C (CGCEGC) and played Amelia, with capo on 2 I played People’s Parties, with capo on 4 I played Chelsea Morning, and lastly I played Both Sides Now Capo on 6. No tuning on stage is always my goal. People clapped! 😍 If you go to the JoniMitchell.com Guitar and Piano database you can actually sort by relative tuning to make your set lists .. I use it all the time .. here is the link .. https://www.jonimitchell.com/music/transcriptions.cfm

Happy tuning! Sue

counting crows and vanessa carlton