Clouds

Joni Mitchell's 'Clouds' is her second album, released in 1969 after 'Song To a Seagull' (originally titled 'Joni Mitchell') which was released one year previous. However a review of the liner notes reveal that the copyrights for 8 of the 10 songs date back as far as 1966 ('I Think I Understand'), concentrate in 1967 ('Tin Angel', 'Chelsea Morning', 'I Don't Know Where I Stand', 'Songs To Aging Children's Come', and 'Both Sides, Now'), and finish up in 1968 ('That Song About the Midway' and 'Roses Blue'). So only two songs, 'The Gallery' and 'The Fiddle and the Drum' date from the same year as the album's release. Thus, what we are getting is an interesting cross-section of the development of Joni Mitchell as a composer, a thoughtful poet in a turbulent era.

'Clouds' is, in my estimation, a weak link in Joni Mitchell's early works, but that criticism must be tempered by the recognition that 'Ladies of the Canyon', 'Blue', and 'For the Roses' are all classics of the era. It should also be noted that the album does include what may well be Joni's finest composition, 'Both Sides, Now', which is to Mitchell what 'Like a Rolling Stone' or 'Blowin' In the Wind' is to Bob Dylan: a defining composition. Judy Collins, whose status as a performer was advanced well beyond Mitchell's at the time, turned 'Both Sides, Now' into a Top Ten hit, but despite her undeniable vocal talents the charting version has nothing on the take Mitchell offers here. Interestingly Collins also took another of Mitchell's songs from this disc, 'Chelsea Morning', and parlayed it into another hit song.

Sad to say, most of the rest of 'Clouds' does not live up to these two quality tracks. The one exception is the a capella 'The Fiddle and the Drum'. Mitchell's stark delivery of this thoughtful, persuasive composition draws even greater poignancy to an anti-war song not steeped in anger, as most anti-war songs are, but in self-contemplation. Two key verses in the song, "and I ask you why", and "so we ask you please" alternate twice in four stanzas. In 1969, at the height of the Vietnam conflict, the first question was looming deep in the psyche of America, especially those most likely to be listening to Mitchell, and the second question was provided a lyrical response: "find the peace and the star" and "trade the handshake for the fist". The song doesn't demean the war-maker, but draws him to a higher calling. Like Mitchell's 'Woodstock', the attempt is to turn the bomber planes into butterflies above our nation.

The remaining songs on 'Clouds' have melodies that are less distinct, and lyrics that are less compelling than what we are use to from Mitchell, or deal with themes intimate and personal to Mitchell, but perhaps of less consequence to the typical listener. 'Roses Blue', for example, deals with a woman's descent into "mysterious devotions", such as Tarot card reading and Zen. Many of the songs of course deal with Mitchell's favorite topic: romantic entanglements and the nuances therein. All are draped in Mitchell's trademark piano or guitar accompaniment. In fact, there are no credits to contributing musicians on any of the tracks.

In assessing 'Clouds' I'm tempted to tap that familiar bumper sticker that says, "A bad day ________ (fishing, shopping, etc.) is better than a good day at work", because a weak Joni Mitchell album is better than what most artists produce in a good day in the studio. It's all relative, and it's instructive to note that Joni has never produced anything inconsequential or lacking gravity and substance. Lyrics are included in this, one of Mitchell's few early works available in a High Definition configuration (go configure).

Clouds was, perhaps, the album observers expected Joni Mitchell to release a year earlier. In recording her debut, Song to a Seagull, Joni avoided those of her songs made famous by other artists in favor of a "concept" approach centered around fairy-tale and nautical imagery. Pirates, seagulls, sailing ships, kings in tenement castles, I feel lost in the city. Its performance values were stark, free-form, echo-laden, with pseudo-medieval formalism. It was a verbose, grotesque, gorgeous-but-flawed treasure which was not for everybody.

Clouds, on the other hand, introduced a more wide-open Joni, her soaring soprano far freer than on the debut, with simpler song and lyrical structure and a mountain-spring-water-purity to the recording after Dave Crosby's muddy castle-fortress echo. Once again, the arrangements consist mainly of singer and guitar, although her voice is doubled and trebled more often, and the playing is closer to campfire strumming than on Song to a Seagull. The songs on Clouds convey a lush romanticism made heartbreaking and wistful by tales of love that is at turns found, lost, uncertain, or doomed. The album also unveils her own interpretations of several of her standards - "Tin Angel," "Chelsea Morning," "I Don't Know Where I Stand," "Both Sides Now." The playing and lyrics are Joni at her most straightforward, and her voice is at its gorgeous best on some of the tracks.

Although I love this album, I would rank it below several of her other pre-"Don Juan" discs - it is certainly my least favorite of her first period (the straightforward acoustic period, coinciding with her first four albums). It doesn't have the curious charm of the debut or the soul-deep passion of Blue. Ladies in the Canyon has a similar mood, but with far better arrangements and songwriting. Her singing on some of the songs here - "Tin Angel" and "The Fiddle and the Drum" stand out - is a rehash of her glum alto affectations on much of the debut. She's better off when she climbs up into the high end of her range (away with those philistines who consider her top end unlistenable), especially on "That Song about the Midway," in which Joni's high C's send haunted tingles down my spine. "Chelsea Morning" certainly conveys a certain joyful ebulliance, but of Joni's "token happy songs" on her early albums ("Night in the City," "Big Yellow Taxi," "Carey") I find it the weakest.

Clouds is, of course, home to "Both Sides Now," which is arguably Joni's signature song. Melodically gorgeous and lyrically reflective, it seems to draw all of her epic romantic experiences into a sorrowful lesson - "I really don't know love/life at all."

"Clouds" is Joni Mitchell's second album and this is the first Joni Mitchell album I listened too after purchasing "For The Roses" and "Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm on the same day myself.

As a birthday present my dear best friend (and the sister I never had), Megan bought me "Clouds" and I remember after we got home from our day out I took the three Joni Mitchell albums I had home. "Clouds" was the first album I decided to pop into my laptop and listen to.

I laid in my bed and just got lost in Joni Mitchell's world, I was so floored by this album. It's interesting that as you listen to this album you can see and feel the warm colours that are painted across the cover flow threw the music. The day I got this I came home and the house was a little chilly so that's why I consider this album 'a warm hug on a cool day' and when I'm sad, I can always rely on one of my "Mrs.Michaels" [Megan] treats or specials to pick me up.

This album is a very wonderful and spare album. It's basically just Joni Mitchell and her guitar - you can picture yourself sitting in this scenic and warm area with the sun setting behind you. Joni Mitchell is also probably one of the best singer-song writers to have ever entered the music industry and these days she isn't given the credit she deserves.

Upon first listen of this album I was moved instantly by the material that poured from the speakers on my laptop. It was nice to finally listen to the album in it's entirety - track after track rather than just the 30 second snippets I had listened to before Megan bought me this album.

"Clouds" opens with "Tin Angel" and what a beautiful song to open the album, however it's probably not a song a lot of people would expect to be the opening track because it's a very sad.

"There's a sorrow in his eyes
Like the angel made of tin
What will happen if I try to place another heart in him."

"Chelsea Morning" was inspired by the neighbourhood Joni Mitchell used to live in in New York City and the first verse comes partly from the distinct decor of her apartment. It's interesting what simple little things can inspire such a cute little song

"Woke up it was a Chelsea morning and the first thing that I heard
Was a song outside my window and the traffic wrote the words."

The song is beautiful and it's kind of one of those songs you can wake up to with the sun shining behind your curtains. It picks you up and makes you want to want to start your day. The song also gained more of a cultural significance and recognition after Bill and Hilary Clinton named their daughter after this song.

"I Don't Know Where I Stand" is a pretty love song at it's best. You're in love but you're not sure if it's meant to be, or whether or not you want to be in the relationship.

"Picked up a pencil and wrote 'I love you'
Wanted to send it but I don't know where I stand."

"That Song About The Midway" sounds like it metephorically talks about that of a cheating lover.

"You were betting on some lover
You were shaking up the dice
And I thought I saw you cheating once or twice, once or twice
Were you wondering was the gamble worth the price."

What clever song writing on Joni Mitchell's part. This track was actually covered by Bonnie Raitt years later, but if you're interested in hearing the definitive version then you need to hear Joni Mitchell's version.

"Roses Blue" is the eerie track on the album. The song tells a story about a woman who believes in so many paranormal things and talks of tarot cards, death and has very mysterious devotions.

"She's gotten to mysterious devotions
She's gotten to the zodiac and zen
She's gotten to tarot cards and potions
She's laying her religion on her friends."

"The Gallery", upon first reading the lyrics I felt like it was about a man who was a jerky artist and used every line in the book on women in order to get into their pants.

"I gave you all my pretty years
Then we began to weather
And I was left to winter here
While you went west for pleasure."

"I Think I Understand" is about facing your fears right in the face and fighting it off whenever or wherever you can.

"The shadows tremble in it's wrath, I've robbed it's blackness blind
And tested sunlight as my fear came so clear to me."

This track is very inspiring and encouraging to those who do have the biggest fears and want to find ways to just get over them and not feel so isolated by them anymore.

"Songs To Aging Children Come" is a bit of a darker song. When I first read the lyrics to this track I didn't understand it as well as the other tracks but some of the lyrics are dark and bone chilling in a way. I still don't understand this track as well as the others, however, it's still a great song.

"Some come dark and strange like dying
Crows and ravens whistling
Lines of weeping and strings of crying
So much said in listening."

"The Fiddle and The Drum" has Joni Mitchell take a break from playing her guitar to do a little acapella on this track. This track is an anti-war song, and it's amazing how Joni Mitchell can be so straight to the point in such a small, short little song.

"Can I help you find the peace and star
Oh my friend
What time is this
To trade the handshake for the fist."

Then of course the album closes with Joni Mitchell's own version of "Both Sides, Now" which was made a huge hit by Judy Collins a year before Joni Mitchell recorded her own version but it should be noted that even though Judy Collins sang this song first, Joni Mitchell wrote the song. I personally love both versions of the song. What a nice way to cap off this incredible album.

"Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons evr'ywhere
I've looked at clouds that way."

Lastly, the amazing music that's showcased on this album is also showcased with a beautiful and eye catching self-painted portrait of Joni Mitchell infront of her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada showing the South Saskatchewon River that flows through the city and the historical railway hotel - Bassborough Hotel, built before asphalt surface highways. Also featured in the self-portrait, Joni Mitchell is holding the floral representation and symbol of the Province of Saskatchewon - the "western red lily."

That being said, I really love this album and since it was given to me it has become one of the albums I haven't been able to stop listening to. As a 19-year-old who is a new comer to the music of Joni Mitchell, I encourage anyone my age (older or younger for that matter) - if you have heard of Joni Mitchell and just haven't given her music the time of day - please do not hesitate to "stick your head in the clouds" and explore this gem of an artist's music.

"Clouds" is one of those albums that will always hold a special place in my heart because any album Megan gives me makes for an instant classic and keeper alongside the great music that accompanies it! Thank you Meggie - the most awesome best friend and big sister ever! <3