Musician of the Day: Joni Mitchell

Back in what Oliver has taken to calling “the old times,” when Catherine and I lived childlessly out in Kingston and I had an office inside the Moses Mediaplex, I often worked late on Friday nights, driving home around midnight.

One of those nights I was listening to Brave New Waves on CBC Radio and they announced that the two weeks thence would be playing an “all covers” show and they invited listeners to contribute suggestions.

So when I got home I emailed in a suggestion that they play Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell and then play the cover version by BB Gabor. And then I promptly forgot all about it.

Two weeks later, again driving home late on a Friday night, just I was cresting the last hill on the Kingston Road before reaching home, I turned on the car radio on a lark. Only to hear Brave New Waves host Brent Bambury announce my Big Yellow Taxi request. And so as I glided down home, I got to hear BB Gabor again, singing his excellent cover. And recall my own old times, years before, hunkered down on a Friday night in a smoky Trent Radio with John Muir, who introduced me to the album, listening to him tell tales about chord changes and bass lines.

So on this Chelseaist of mornings, today’s musician is Joni Mitchell.

Comments

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on February 14, 2007 - 13:46 Permalink

By the way, thence is actually a word, the discovery of which provided me with untold delight this morning.

Ann's picture
Ann on February 14, 2007 - 15:20 Permalink

The sun is not pouring in like butterscotch at my house.
I am coming to your place.

oliver's picture
oliver on February 14, 2007 - 19:53 Permalink

I love her too, and that she has odes both to Canada and California. And the verse “chop down all the trees…put them in a tree museum! Charge all the people a dollar and a half just to see ‘em!”

Marian's picture
Marian on February 15, 2007 - 16:44 Permalink

The song is still current, more topical than ever, I’d say.