Blue

It takes alot for me to listen to an album over and over and over and over... and still not get sick of it.
i've had "Blue" for about 3 years and Joni still makes it into my cd player more than once every few days.
There are at least 2 songs that most passerbyers would recognize: "California" and "River", but many more to be appreciated.
This album has a beautiful balance of alternating very rich, almost sorrowful songs and whimsical upbeat songs...

"My Old Man" exhibits such simplisticly passionate poetry-
'...but when he's gone me and them lonesome blues collide; the bed's too big the frying pan's too wide...'
"All I Want" gives us an all-around bold, declarative statement that shows her desire to be a part of the grand 'adventure'/excitement that life offers through loving.
'..alive alive! I wanna get up and jive, i wanna wreck my stockings in some jukebox dive. do you want, do you want, do you want to dance with me baby? do you wanna take a chance in maybe finding some sweet romance with me...?'

With the occasional accompaniment from James Taylor and Stephen Stills, this album is worth much more than it's priced.
And as always, the mixture of Joni's voice, her beautiful piano playing, and her amazing lyrics are pure proof
that she is a true uninhibited musician... and she's still going strong.

"Blue" is an album that has Joni bearing her soul...leaving no stone unturned, no walls or curtains to hide behind. It is intensely emotional, and lets the listener get closer to her than any other album. This album is so special for that reason. Her playing is stellar...she makes it sound so easy. Her voice is in top form; singing with such clarity and young wisdom. I never get sick of this album...from "All I Want" to "The Last Time I Saw Richard." Is it folk music? No...I wouldn't say so. Has it ever claimed to be a folk album? If you want "Tom Dooley", then listen to The Kingston Trio...if you want something deeper and encompassing, listen to Joni Mitchell...no simple 3 chord wonders here.

I have read the bad reviews of this album (and also those for "Court and Spark"...yet another piece of Mitchell magic) and I just don't understand it. Someone reviewing "Court and Spark" said that they didn't like Joni Mitchell's voice...hmmmm...a matter of opinion...from a person who couldn't possibly give a good review of ANY of her albums since she has the AUDACITY to sing on them. It is the same for "Blue"...Joni needed Prozac...why couldn't she crack a smile...the album is dull and boring...her voice is awful...these negative reviews (for Joni Mitchll albums, they tend to be extremely short, and lacking in any real detail...as different from Joni Mitchell's writing as day is from night...maybe that is why they don't like her) could be sending people away from this album, or others by this absolutely legendary singer/songwriter. I have no problem with people giving albums negative reviews, but not if it is about criticizing her for her mood at the time of writing the songs...was she not allowed to be reflective of things in her life?

Give a negative review based on the musical performance, the lack of lyrical depth, the LACK of emotion, the poor production quality...it won't apply to this album.