Just checked and it doesn't look like I ever received your ballot. Sorry!
― Mordy, Friday, 5 October 2012 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
S'okay, great work on the poll!
― flamboyant goon tie included, Friday, 5 October 2012 20:47 (eleven years ago) link
I just double checked and found it in the Spam folder. Only ballot that went there. So sorry. I feel really bad. :(
― Mordy, Friday, 5 October 2012 20:50 (eleven years ago) link
*I actually found Sund4r's first ballot in there too -- but he resent his before track tabulation so I caught it. I didn't even think to check the Spam folder...
1.Shades Of Scarlet Conquering2.Edith And The Kingpin3.Help Me4.Amelia5.Black Crow6.Ladies Man7.Don't Interupt The Sorrow8.Car On The Hill9.Herjira10.Jericho11.Free Man In Paris12.Same Situation 13.Talk To Me14.All I Want15.Coyote16.In France They Kiss On Main Street17.Little Green18.River19.Number One20.My Secret Place
1.Herjira2.Hissing Of Summer Lawns3.Court And Spark4.Blue5.Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
― The Pastiche Liberation Front (sonnyboy), Friday, 5 October 2012 21:25 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks, Mordy! This was great.
My ballot:
Tracks:1) Both Sides Now2) Amelia3) A Case of You4) Black Crow5) Blue6) The Wolf That Lives in Lindsay7) Help Me8) All I Want9) Paprika Plains10) The Jungle Line11) Let the Wind Carry Me12) For the Roses13) Song for Sharon14) The Fiddle and the Drum15) The Arrangement16) Carey17) Chelsea Morning18) I Had a King Albums (not counted):1) Hejira2) Blue3) Clouds4) For the Roses5) Ladies of the Canyon
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Friday, 5 October 2012 22:12 (eleven years ago) link
This came close to being the first poll where all of my selections placed....
Almost as soon as i submitted my ballot i began thinking i ranked "Help Me" and "Coyote" way too low. Bumping up Coyote a couple of notches would have pushed it ahead of "Both Sides Now", not bad for a song I thought would barely place at all. My low "Help Me" placement likely due to overfamiliarity, but i normally try to avoid allowing that to affect my ranking.
1. I Don't Know Where I Ttand2. Both Sides Now3. Free Man in Paris4. You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio5. Chelsea Morning6. Raised on Robbery7. People's Parties8. A Case of You9. The Circle Game10. The Same Situation11. Woodstock12. Coyote13. The Last Time I Saw Richard14. The Hissing of Summer Lawns15. Help Me16. Don Juan's Reckless Daughter17. Car On a Hill18. My Old Man19. Trouble Child20. Big Yellow Taxi
― Lee626, Saturday, 6 October 2012 03:59 (eleven years ago) link
S
― Lee626, Saturday, 6 October 2012 04:00 (eleven years ago) link
01 Both Sides, Now02 Carey03 The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey 04 Come In From The Cold05 The Hissing Of Summer Lawns06 The Jungle Line07 Refuge Of The Roads08 Car On A Hill09 Woodstock10 Paprika Plains11 You Turn Me On I'm A Radio12 A Case Of You13 Amelia14 Chelsea Morning15 For The Roses16 Conversation17 Song For Sharon18 Morning Morgantown19 Same Situation20 Big Yellow Taxi
― etc, Saturday, 6 October 2012 04:18 (eleven years ago) link
Tracks
01 The Hissing Of Summer Lawns02 The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey03 Don't Interrupt The Sorrow04 The Jungle Line05 All I Want06 This Flight Tonight07 Free Man In Paris08 Harlem In Havana09 Coyote10 God Must Be A Boogie Man11 Woman Of Heart And Mind12 Edith And The Kingpin13 Marcie14 Chelsea Morning15 In France They Kiss On Main Street16 The Arrangement17 Tin Angel18 I Had A King19 Morning Morgantown20 Paprika Plains
LPs 01 The Hissing Of Summer Lawns02 Blue03 Mingus04 For The Roses05 Hejira
― Jeff W, Saturday, 6 October 2012 12:17 (eleven years ago) link
1. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire2. Trouble Child3. A Case of You4. Urge for Going5. Song for Sharon6. Barangrill7. Let the Wind Carry Me8. Dreamland9. Lesson in Survival10. Carey11. The Last Time I Saw Richard12. Night Ride Home13. Refuge of the Roads14. Down to You15. Sisotowbell Lane16. Turbulent Indigo17. Why Do Fools Fall in Love?18. For Free19. All I Want20. Happiness is the Best Face Lift
― banjoboy, Saturday, 6 October 2012 14:20 (eleven years ago) link
-there is a Mermaid Cafe on Toronto island and as such I cannot so much as step foot on the island without delightedly and obsessively singing Carey-A Case of You was my #1, Richard #2, Twisted #3. -check out Joni doing "Me and My Uncle" on YouTube in '65 /stumbled across that the other day-being at the cottage, I want to listen to only Joni-listened to case of you covers on YT last night, are there any good ones? I expected more of you Prince, Tori-"I could drink a case of you and still be on my feet" = you're weak? Never knew if that was a love song or breakup song or both
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Saturday, 6 October 2012 14:23 (eleven years ago) link
I thought it meant "you're mean but I can take it"
― Ówen P., Saturday, 6 October 2012 14:38 (eleven years ago) link
Oh you're a mean old Daddy but I love you? I could see that. :) I definitely thought in a way it was the prettiest dis track ever recorded.. "Constantly in the darkness .. If you want me I'll be at the bar.."
The "oh, Canada!" In that song stirs me far more than our actual anthem.
Great poll Mordy, thank you!
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Saturday, 6 October 2012 15:07 (eleven years ago) link
1. Refuge on the Road2. Help Me3. Woman of Heart and Mind4. The Last Time I Saw Richard5. Court and Spark6. Barandgrill7. Just Like This Train8. Don’t Interrupt This Sorrow9. A Song For Sharon10. Carey11. A Case of You12. Trouble Child13. Both Sides Now (2000 version)14. Come In From the Cold15. In France They Kiss on Main Street16. Hejira17. Little Green18. You Turn Me On (I’m a Radio)19. The Same Situation20. Good Friends
― the ones that I'm near most: fellow outcasts and ilxors (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 6 October 2012 15:10 (eleven years ago) link
OF the road, of course
Thanks for running this one, Mordy -- I wish I'd been able to pull enough attention together to vote in this one, but it was not to be.
― Death Grits 2 (WmC), Saturday, 6 October 2012 15:21 (eleven years ago) link
@ FFS. The US/Can duality of all those singers (Leonard lives in Mtl, Joni lives in L.A., Buffy lives in Hawaii, Neil lives ?) never had any interest to me, I mean, it doesn't seem all that worthwhile a discussion talking about which member of The Band lived where and for how long. Except with "Blue". On the whole it's an album about place, the island in "Carey", Vegas in "This Flight Tonight", getting out of California in "River", going back to California in "California". But there it is, the most understated and affecting moment on the record is that "Oh Canada", neither a celebration or a putdown, just an acknowledgement. I think it's one of the reasons I never LOVE-loved "California", the sentiment is, in comparison, closer to a Beach Boys-style kind of gimme than any of the other songs.
― flamboyant goon tie included, Saturday, 6 October 2012 15:57 (eleven years ago) link
I agree completely (I imagine that FFS was FFM? :). It pisses me off a little that California is about California - I get it, great place, but this is such a poetic land and it does hurt that she creates such beautiful songs about her travels and so few about our homeland! Should've given Ontario in the summer a few more chances, Joni. (I have never been to the west coast, I'm biased obviously.)
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Saturday, 6 October 2012 16:10 (eleven years ago) link
haha yeah sorry, my fingers are just used to typing ffs all the time, too many diary entries i s'pose
― flamboyant goon tie included, Saturday, 6 October 2012 16:44 (eleven years ago) link
AND tbh I think it's very Canadian of Canadian-born songwriters to ~not~ make references to cities and provinces, or, when they do so, to do so in an not-necessarily-flattering light ("I hate Winnipeg" i.e.)
― flamboyant goon tie included, Saturday, 6 October 2012 16:49 (eleven years ago) link
-"I could drink a case of you and still be on my feet" = you're weak? Never knew if that was a love song or breakup song or both
yeah i always thought this was a put-down, i never realised until recently some ppl parse it as 'you're just so awesome i could drink a whole bunch of you', wikipedia says it is a song about 'infatuation' which is just ???
― set the controls for the heart of the congos (thomp), Saturday, 6 October 2012 17:54 (eleven years ago) link
i saw a busker playing the appalachian dulcimer today.
― set the controls for the heart of the congos (thomp), Saturday, 6 October 2012 17:55 (eleven years ago) link
My ballot cuts off at Blue:
01 Tin Angel02 Little Green03 I Had a King04 River05 A Case Of You06 Blue07 I Don't Know Where I Stand08 That Song About the Midway09 The Last Time I Saw Richard10 Marcie11 This Flight Tonight12 Conversation13 Roses Blue14 Nathan La Franeer15 Cactus Tree16 Michael From Mountains17 The Gallery18 I Think I Understand19 Chelsea Morning20 Rainy Night House
"Tin Angel" should have placed - U R all stupid etc.
― Kent Burt, Sunday, 7 October 2012 04:02 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks for doing this poll Mordy!
ALBUMS: HejiraNight Ride HomeBlueThe Hissing Of Summer LawnsFor The Roses SONGS: Come In From The ColdHejiraThe Last Time I Saw RichardPassion Play (When All The Slaves Are Free)A Case of YouAmeliaEdith And the KingpinLet The Wind Carry MeTwo Grey RoomsThe Boho DanceCourt And SparkLessons In SurvivalSong For SharonShades Of Scarlet ConqueringSame SituationAll I WantCoyoteThis Flight, TonightFurry Sings The BluesBoth Sides, Now (2000 Version)
― Tim F, Sunday, 7 October 2012 04:41 (eleven years ago) link
Wow, I better check out Night Ride Home.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Sunday, 7 October 2012 04:53 (eleven years ago) link
That was a strategic placement in a way "Come In From The Cold" wasn't - in truth it's on a level with Hissing for me. I had a feeling Blue wouldn't really need my help.
But Night Ride Home did sneak three tunes into my top ten, and I could have easily put "Cherokee Louse" and "Nothing Can Be Done" in the second half of my songs list except I started to feel like I was just throwing votes away.
― Tim F, Sunday, 7 October 2012 05:16 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q4foLKDlcE
― Mordy, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 12:34 (eleven years ago) link
I just finished reading/listening to all of this. Cheers Mordy and everyone who voted for a good education.
― "It's like death metal lyrics, but about a vagina." (a hoy hoy), Saturday, 10 November 2012 16:58 (eleven years ago) link
Man why did I not bother with this? Maybe guilt that I only know four Joni albums well: 1971-76. But those four albums mean so much to me.
― jaymc, Saturday, 5 January 2013 06:51 (eleven years ago) link
But wait, you say, there were five albums between '71 and '76. I forgot, as I often do, about For the Roses. Need to give it more of a chance, IIRC.
― jaymc, Saturday, 5 January 2013 06:52 (eleven years ago) link
Listening to Ian & Sylvia's greatest hits with a cover of Circle Game on it right now. :D
Came home depressed last night & put on Blue and sung along loudly to the whole album. Made me feel so much better.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Saturday, 5 January 2013 16:48 (eleven years ago) link
After about two weeks of obsessing over everything she did from 1975-79 I'm a little stunned at how little of it actually made it into this poll. Part or me thinks there are different kinds of Joni fans -- pre-jazz and post. Judging by some or the comments here, that doesn't mean you exclusively like one or the other but that often only one makes you an obsessive.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 13 February 2013 23:05 (eleven years ago) link
And as a total latecomer to the party on this stuff, what I guess surprises me is that with the reappraisal of that era that's taken place since (ie, PFM calling Hissing her "most timeless" record) I kind of figured that bifurcation would have been left in the 70s.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 13 February 2013 23:10 (eleven years ago) link
"Paprika Plains" finally started sounding lovely and strange instead of diaphanous and strange last week. Talk about a sleeper.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 13 February 2013 23:19 (eleven years ago) link
just wanted to say, I don't know Joni's music well enough that I didn't participate in this poll at all, but listening to the Spotify results playlist is making my day, thanks for the crash course you guys
― Algerian Horsebeater (some dude), Monday, 20 January 2014 18:08 (ten years ago) link
I may be an unusual JM fan in that I listen to her almost entirely for the sound of her music.― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, October 3, 2012 5:38 PM (five years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, October 3, 2012 5:38 PM (five years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
count me in, though reading Mordy's choice excerpts make it clear I'm missing out
it's not as if I don't pay attention to the lyrics at all, I just mostly notice fragments, certain phrases and motifs...
anyway, great poll, Joni's the best!
― niels, Saturday, 11 November 2017 19:04 (six years ago) link
We didn't talk enough in this poll.
― Tim F, Saturday, 11 November 2017 22:07 (six years ago) link
how did i miss it? just listening to that bbc concert with james taylor from 1970 where john peel speaks the introduction. there are already quite a lot songs which later were published on blue on it (carey, california, river, my old man, a case of you) and her soprano is really perfect here. not as high-pitch as on the first album but still very girlish and innocent sounding. and all that great in between song banter. where she explains that the circle game was her uplifting answer to that kind of sad song from that unkown young canadian folk singer whose name she doesn't mention. the song was sugar mountain.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Saturday, 11 November 2017 22:28 (six years ago) link
there's some discussion upthread about the meaning of being able to drink a case of somebody and still be on your feet, and while it is similar in structure to "I eat x like you for breakfast", I don't see how it could mean anything but I can't get enough of you
― niels, Sunday, 12 November 2017 10:14 (six years ago) link
She seems to be putting the guy down in the first verse, though.
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Sunday, 12 November 2017 13:57 (six years ago) link
It could just as easily mean "you don't do anything for me (anymore)".
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Sunday, 12 November 2017 14:24 (six years ago) link
"Hejira" was my favourite song in the world at 14, I printed out all the lyrics and stuck them on my bedroom wall.
― Tim F, Wednesday, October 3, 2012 10:42 PM (five years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I am now 14 year old Tim F
― droit au butt (Euler), Sunday, 12 November 2017 16:01 (six years ago) link
xp well she's certainly teasing the guy, answering his metaphysical boast with an acerbic and then a prosaic remark, but anyway since the next thing she remembers is drawing his face on a map of Canada it's reasonable to suggest there's also a level of vulnerability, even love (though it's ofc slightly undercut by the drawing being on the back of a cartoon coaster lit by a tv screen)
what makes the central metaphor unlikely as a putdown imo area) the singer's fetichization of the lover - even if she does not explicitly desire drinking a case of the lover, the repeated focus on the act suggests infatuationb) the beautiful preceding lines:
Oh you are in my blood like holy wineYou taste so bitterAnd so sweet
If you wanted to criticize wine for being weak or harmless, this is not how you would describe it.
― niels, Sunday, 12 November 2017 21:49 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_dY2cy0E2I
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 13 February 2018 17:43 (six years ago) link
That's phantastic dreamy stuff. It reminds me of another song, something from "wild things run fast"?
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, 14 February 2018 20:46 (six years ago) link