Yay Joni Mitchell

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

... inducted into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.

I still remember the "wow" feeling the first time I heard Court and Spark (and, though it wasn't her tune, the chill that ran up my spine on the note she sings after the break in "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" - how can a voice sound so much like a languorous plume of rising smoke?).

[slavetothegroove]

Languorous plume of rising smoke...compelling.

I listened to a 2 hour biography of her life yesterday afternoon on CBC radio. So many incredible stories were told. She is such an inspiration to women folk songwriters. Her voice raises hairs on my spine with some of the notes she hits. Ahhh god love her.

Steph

[allison]

The Alberta Ballet "Dancing Joni" project intrigues me. Its the sort of thing that from any other artist would leave me very, very skeptical.But Joni is an iconoclast-her artistic integrity is almost perversely(if that is possible) strong.I think the ballet will follow suit.

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

They're supposedly playing highlights of last nights performances on CBC Radio One in just a few minutes on Sounds Like Canada.

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

the Joni thing is going to start after the 11AM news (In Ontario, at least)

[Kanada Kev]

Right on. I'm tuned in (via the net) and waiting. I did hear one tune from the gala this morning (Maesha Brueggergosman). Eager to hear the rest.

[MarcO]

been a life long fan, she's the real deal.

"Hejira" remains my favorite album of hers.

[Kanada Kev]

She's an amazing artiste on many levels.

Last year a buddy lent to me the DVD set of Dick Cavett shows. One of the highlights is the "Woodstock" episode that happened right after the event. CSN, Jefferson Airplane and Joni Mitchell were there. Joni did a mindblowing performance of The Fiddle and the Drum. At the time, it was a great commentary from a non-American on their involvement in the Viet Nam war. It's lyrics are eerily poignant today (should this now be moved to the political forum ):

The Fiddle and the Drum

And so once again

My dear Johnny my dear friend

And so once again you are fightin' us all

And when I ask you why

You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall

Oh, my friend

How did you come

To trade the fiddle for the drum

You say I have turned

Like the enemies you've earned

But I can remember

All the good things you are

And so I ask you please

Can I help you find the peace and the star

Oh, my friend

What time is this

To trade the handshake for the fist

And so once again

Oh, America my friend

And so once again

You are fighting us all

And when we ask you why

You raise your sticks and cry and we fall

Oh, my friend

How did you come

To trade the fiddle for the drum

You say we have turned

Like the enemies you've earned

But we can remember

All the good things you are

And so we ask you please

Can we help you find the peace and the star

Oh my friend

We have all come

To fear the beating of your drum

Joni and JT

[allison]

I think the Fiddle and the Drum is actually going to be the signature piece of the ballet,and all the rest of the pieces will have a similiar anti-war theme-including the new songs written for it.