omg this flight tonight is so low! did Nazareth kill it for everyone? it's such a beautiful song to me - the fear of meeting someone who is getting a second chance, who may still let you down.. the 'ooh baby, baby come by' song within a song..
holy many xps!
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 13:59 (eleven years ago) link
The frying pan line in My Old Man is A+. If I cook eggs for myself when my husband's not home I invariably get that stuck in my head. Pretty sure I took a photo of my spreading egg whites & sent it to him captioned with those lyrics once.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:01 (eleven years ago) link
"Rainy Night House" is a jam, voted for it high; love when the voices all come rushing in about midway through
― Euler, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:04 (eleven years ago) link
This Flight > My Old Man imo, but both are Blue's weakest afaic
― flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:06 (eleven years ago) link
Glad to see "Urge for Going"--it was the voting thread that introduced me to the original. The longest-serving staff member at my school retired two years ago, and I played "The Circle Game" over the P.A. for her during lunch (she was kind of hippieish). Perfect song for that sort of thing.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:07 (eleven years ago) link
That IS the perfect song for a retiring hippieish (teacher)! :) Hope a sensitive, bookish kid heard it and ran with it.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:11 (eleven years ago) link
It was great. She'd been at our school for almost 30 years--she said she sat in the room as it played, looking out the window and thinking about the all the kids that had passed through over the years. I didn't see any Joni Mitchell T-shirts at school the next fall, so I think it may have passed the sensitive, bookish kids by.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:18 (eleven years ago) link
That's a pity! We'll get them in other ways. I couldn't "get" Joni until my 20s. My husband, lovable cliche that he is, played A Case of You on his guitar for me and it was game over.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:22 (eleven years ago) link
Teacher looking out window could've been a great Circle Game video! <3 Love the imagery in my head right now.
My husband, lovable cliche that he is, played A Case of You on his guitar for me and it was game over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPsW2FYprfI
― clemenza, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:28 (eleven years ago) link
hahaha, yup. I'm thankful that wasn't actually ACOY because I was in cringe-ready position. I know I'm getting ahead of the poll here but"I drew a map of Canada - oh Canada! - with your face sketched on it twice.." Kills me. Every time.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:42 (eleven years ago) link
I was the #1 vote for "I Don't Know Where I Stand". I was in the exact situation described in the song the first time I heard it, via Fairport Convention's cover, when I was a student. Still hits me hard every time I hear it....
Joni sings her own song quite well, but so does Sandy Denny:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-1hH0rqeRA
― Lee626, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 14:52 (eleven years ago) link
I've never given it much of a chance. I really like that version!
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:00 (eleven years ago) link
I voted for Conversation. Very evocative storytelling, hippie but without the rough edges, love the guitar jangles. And her voice soars so lightly over it all. You can tell she's holding back. "She speaks in sorry sentences. Miraculous repentances"
In my shortlist...This Flight Tonight - one of my last cuts - the best part about this is the Nick Drake-esque guitarFor the Roses - her voice has really dropped since Ladies of the Canyon. She sounds like a grizzled old lady.Rainy Night House - "to SEE who in the world you might BE" and then "TO see who in the world you MIGHT be" - "tan/sand" - so many memorable rhymes - great church vocals coming from nowhere
― skip, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:02 (eleven years ago) link
Down to You is a really great track in the context of the album but the breakdown in the middle kept it off a list of the 20 Joni tracks I'd want to listen to in isolation.
― skip, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:03 (eleven years ago) link
"Conversation" is my biiiig favourite of her "I can sing!" period. It's like "yes! you can indeed!"
― flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:08 (eleven years ago) link
This Flight Tonight - one of my last cuts - the best part about this is the Nick Drake-esque guitar
I've long noted this resemblance in their guitar styles in general - the fingerpicking style, the funky open tunings, etc.
― Lee626, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:15 (eleven years ago) link
Mordy, there's three so far missing from the Spotify playlist on my side (and missing from Spotify at all, says a quick search):
urge for goinglet the wind carry meshades of scarlet conquering
― paleopolice (c sharp major), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 15:28 (eleven years ago) link
"For the Roses" really reminds me of Nick Drake, at least the vocal melody.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 17:34 (eleven years ago) link
^^^^^^^^^^^
not just the melody, but the descending guitar chords, the pastoral imagery, the butterflies and lilac sprays and the moon sweeping down the black water
― Lee626, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 18:23 (eleven years ago) link
Yay for "This Flight Tonight" and "Wolf that Lives in Lindsey" placing. Didn't vote for anything else so far, but it's all good. Nice that "Circle Game" made it too.
I figured that tracks from Blue wouldn't need my help, so cut most of the ones that were on on my longlist. I suspect every song from it will place.
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
the descending guitar chords
OTM
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
The Circle Game didn't make my shortlist but at the right moments it feels like the best song ever.
― skip, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 18:47 (eleven years ago) link
The Circle Game is low on my list of desired Joni tracks. She sounds like a kindergarten teacher.
― flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 19:32 (eleven years ago) link
All Canadians are part time kindergarten teachers.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 19:39 (eleven years ago) link
Working with kids all day keeps us pleasant. And with everyone pitching in, we can ensure the younger generation keeps up on its "Zed"s. Damn you, Sesame Street and Alphabet Song.
Hm well it's not meant to be a shot at kindergarten teachers, who are the greatest, more that I'd rather not feel like a 5-year-old in a classroom after the emotional release of "Woodstock".
― flamboyant goon tie included, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 19:41 (eleven years ago) link
I didn't vote for "Circle Game" or "Big Yellow Taxi" or "Woodstock" either tbh. Prefer CSNY's "Woodstock" and am not partial to the other two. "Both Sides Now" was my #1, though, so maybe I'm perverse.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 19:47 (eleven years ago) link
I'm just teasing :) well, the song is about leaving your childhood behind so it fits, I think. Not sure if you were on the Neil thread where clemenza told us this song was her response to Neil Young's Sugar Mountain?
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 19:48 (eleven years ago) link
(xp)
I did vote for Taxi, albeit at #20
― Lee626, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
No Taxi from me, though I did vote for Woodstock.
― skip, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
thx for checking for me. I don't think I can do anything about tracks that Spotify doesn't have at all.
― Mordy, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 22:32 (eleven years ago) link
i totally didn't vote so i have no right to observe, but "trouble child" is too low!
― horseshoe, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 22:47 (eleven years ago) link
Shit. I come here too rarely. I'd have voted Hissing best album and Harry's House best single, I think.
― Tsuga, Tuesday, 2 October 2012 23:38 (eleven years ago) link
i would have voted shadows and light best album but it would have been TACTICAL VOTING
― set the controls for the heart of the congos (thomp), Tuesday, 2 October 2012 23:47 (eleven years ago) link
A couple thoughts after listening to Blue once at work and twice tonight... 1) There is more piano than I remembered. Her vocals tend to be the focus on those, and the instrumentation has a light touch throughout, so it's easy not to notice that multiple tracks have only piano in the backing track. Plus the piano is kind of jangly and tinny, almost guitar-ish. 2) The sequencing is something else. "Carey" into "Blue" is the most obvious jarring moment but every time you think you get into a positive groove she hits you with a killer quiet track.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 00:58 (eleven years ago) link
http://i50.tinypic.com/2iicy2u.jpg
Original cover of 'For the Roses,' 1972 - Ink and Felt Pen
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:35 (eleven years ago) link
35. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire (For the Roses): 132 points, 6 votes, 1 1st place vote
A wristwatch, a ring, a downstairs screamerEdgy-black cracks of the sky "Pin cushion prick fix this poor bad dreamer" "Money" cold shadows reply
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:38 (eleven years ago) link
Just a quick reminder that as the tracks are revealed they will also be added to this Spotify playlist for listening convenience:
http://open.spotify.com/user/mordys/playlist/79HgvbsptKvCXt6uKHSBl2
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:39 (eleven years ago) link
My second vote to show up... another great piece of guitar work in addition to the harrowing subject matter. I still find it hard to believe how much her voice drops in the span of 3 years.
― skip, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:00 (eleven years ago) link
That Moog part in "Cold Blue Steel" after the second chorus = A+++
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:27 (eleven years ago) link
34. People's Parties (Court and Spark: 141 points, 7 votes
And Jack behind his jokerAnd stone-cold Grace behind her fanAnd me in my frightened silenceThinking I don't understand
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:30 (eleven years ago) link
33. The Same Situation (Court and Spark): 146 points, 8 votes
Still I sent up my prayer Wondering where it had to go With heaven full of astronauts And the Lord on death row
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:36 (eleven years ago) link
you're picking excellent lyrics Mordy! I sing People's Parties to myself when I get nervous and socially awkward, trying to be Stone Cold Grace.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:41 (eleven years ago) link
thanks! these are all the lyrics i sing in my head all the time. for some of the songs i have to pick between a few excerpts i constantly sing in my head. i try to pick the one i think about the most.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:42 (eleven years ago) link
32. Little Green (Blue): 147 points, 7 votes
Child with a child pretendingWeary of lies you are sending homeSo you sign all the papers in the family nameYou're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:48 (eleven years ago) link
little green kills me every time i hear it.
― Mordy, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:49 (eleven years ago) link
Absolutely. It's too sad for me to listen to if I'm in the wrong mood. I forgot to vote for it!
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:50 (eleven years ago) link
i don't get the "but you're not ashamed" line - what is she supposed to be shameful about?
― Lee626, Wednesday, 3 October 2012 13:57 (eleven years ago) link