ADD: Urge for Going (Joni Mitchell)

Subject: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Mar 00 - 08:28 PM

I'm transferring this question from the Tom Rush thread. Does anyone besides me remember hearing a recording of Joni Mitchell singing Urge for Going? I know I heard it once on a radio station in Philly in 1970, and am fairly sure I heard it on a restaurant juke box in Princeton in 1971, which would indicate it was released as a 45. (For those GenXers out there, that's like a CD single, but larger.) Any help?

Aloha,
Mark

https://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=71

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,roy
Date: 02 Mar 00 - 08:43 PM

I was told by Dave Van Ronk(who does the best version of itin my opinion) that she never made a comercial recording of it. However, Gene Shay(Philly folk DJ) has his own tape of it. She played it on his show many years ago. You can contact him through the Philadelphia Folk Song Society for more info.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rangeroger
Date: 02 Mar 00 - 08:54 PM

Paul Sanchez of LA told that it was indeed released as a single on a 45. He also told me what the flip side was but I can't remember it.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: raredance
Date: 02 Mar 00 - 08:58 PM

It was the flip side of a single. I am not 100 % certain but think it may have been "You turn Me On I'm A Radio". The better news is that it is on her 1996 CD "Hits"

rich r

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: BlueJay
Date: 02 Mar 00 - 09:32 PM

I'd like to hear her sing it. Good song, and Tom Rush does a great job but I've never heard the original.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Mar 00 - 11:22 PM

Yes, now I remember it was Gene Shay's show I heard it on, so that makes sense. And then I did hear it on that Princeton jukebox. Nice to know my memory wasn't playing tricks this time. And I agree, Roy, Van Ronk did a superb job on that song, as usual. I confess to liking Tom Rush's version a little better, though. Maybe it has something to do with a certain living room couch in Northeast Philly in 1970...
Thanks, all. The Mudcat comes through again. Now off to check out the CD.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 05:47 AM

Urge for Going is on a CD called Hits, Reprise 9362-46326-2

Gaz

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Gary T
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 01:48 PM

If I remember right, I was told it was the flip side of "Big Yellow Taxi". I've never seen it myself.

Years ago I heard it by a male singer on a station that purported to play "classic country music", by which they meant mostly obscure album cuts from fairly well-known but passe country singers. I think it was George Hamilton IV. I loved that version, but haven't heard it for a long time. Anyone know for sure who it would have been?

Just last week I caught half a verse on the radio (PBS), by a female. It was beautifully haunting, and I wondered if that might have been Joni Mitchell. Anyone else catch it and the artist's name?

It's one of those songs I loved from the first hearing.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: JedMarum
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 04:15 PM

I first heard his song after Tom Rush recorded it, and loved the song. I never Joni Mitchell play it, but I also saw Tom perform the song at two different shows, in two different decades, and both times, the arrangement blew me away. He played in the 70's with a gifted guitar player named Trevor Veech (sorry for the spelling). Trevor did some magic guitar work on his telecaster (or was it a strat). I'd love to hear the other versions by other artists.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: BlueJay
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 04:29 PM

One of my favorite songs. Works well for me in the key of B.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rangeroger
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 04:53 PM

It is one of my all-time favorites also.Key of B for my voice.Sometimes I try it in A but it really is too low in that key.I actually sang this song to the love of my life when she told me she was going off with a mining engineer from Utah. Followed it up with "No Regrets" rr

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 06:10 PM

Does anyone know if the version on the 1996 recording is a new version or the original she did way back when? yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 08:50 PM

On the 1996 CD called Hits, Reprise 9362-46326-2 it is "recorded in 1967".

Garry

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rangeroger
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 10:02 PM

Tony Rice also covered "Urge for Going" on his "Native American". Don't know if it's out on CD,but on vinyl it is Rounder 0248.Awesome guitar work with acoustic piano and acoustic bass.
By the way, according to the latest Acoustic Guitar magazine Rounder Records was named after The Holy Modal Rounders,who are alive and well,and still doing music together.
rr.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rainbow
Date: 03 Mar 00 - 11:50 PM

well folks... my first posting here... someone was mentioning a version by a woman -- perhaps from julie adams and the mountain stage band "LIVE". 1997 gadfly release. [e-mail]

... lorraine

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rangeroger
Date: 04 Mar 00 - 09:08 PM

Just picked up the "Hits" CD.It is awesome. It has given me a whole new perspective to the song.The rest of the CD is dynamite also.
rr

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 05:25 AM

Gary T, I think "Big Yellow Taxi" might be right, because I remember Ladies of the Canyon came out in 1970 or 71 (my freshman year) and that's when I remember hearing the single of "Urge for Going" on the jukebox. Sounds like I really oughta get that CD. A few weeks ago while driving to the other side of the island I surprised myself by singing almost the whole "Clouds" album from memory. Maybe that's why my memory seems to be failing so often these days -- it's full of Joni Mitchell songs!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Duffy Keith
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 11:54 AM

The urge for going is a woderful song by Joni Mitchell, but can only be sung by tom rush....His early version captures every nuance of the song...DK

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Gary T
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 05:11 PM

Duffy, I have and very much like Tom Rush's rendition, but I have to say I've heard two others that I find even more appealing, the one by George Hamilton IV (?maybe?) that I haven't heard in years, and the one by the unknown lady I heard a snippet of a couple weeks ago.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,The Beanster
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 05:36 PM

Dear Mark, I also was in Philly at that time and I remember hearing J. Mitchell's version of "Urge for Going" all the time on WDAS...or was it WMMR? Anyway, thanks for the memories...Do you remember Bonnie Raitt's radio concert and "Blender Blues?" Another classic Philadelphia radio moment.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: JedMarum
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 10:46 PM

welcome rainbow, lorraine ... nice to have you

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rangeroger
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 11:00 PM

GaryT,
Did you catch the post from rainbow a little earlier? She mentioned Julie Adams.
Gary Keith,
Tom Rush is not the only one to be able to sing it.I'm quite proud of the way I do it.
Of course I took my version straight from his album,my voice is very similar to his,and you haven't heard me.
rr

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 12:30 AM

No, Beanster, I don't recall that. I do remember Ellen McIlwaine singing Firehouse Blues at the Main Point and doing a duet with the fire siren across the street. Too bad that wasn't on the radio!
Do you (or anyone) know if Dave Herman is still around? He had a show on WMMR called The Marconi Experiment that was my introduction to what then was called underground music, and he played lots of "folk-rock" and folk-oriented music as well. I think I heard him once on a NYC station a few years later.
Welcome to the Mudcat. Hang out for a while and have a soft pretzel with mustard.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,The Beanster
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 07:52 PM

Dear Mark, Thanks for the welcome--and the pretzel! I seem to be getting into a lot of trouble in other threads (!) so it's nice to (see) a non-confrontative voice! I saw Ellen McIlwaine a few times at the Main Point but I think I missed the duet with the fire siren--although I'm sure she out-sirened the siren! As far as Dave Herman is concerned, I live in NYC and I think he was on the air here a few years ago but I don't know where he is now...maybe he's still working here somewhere. I'll try to check that out for you. He did have some wonderful shows, huh?!

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: rangeroger
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 12:50 AM

Duffy Keith: My apologies for calling you Gary.I think I had my own personal thread creep going.
Or brain fart.
Tom Rush is the whole reason for me loving this song.
rr

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,The Beanster
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 02:26 AM

Mark,

One more thing I forgot to ask. Do you remember Gene Shay from Phila? Had a great show every Sunday night on WMMR.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 11:45 PM

Yes -- see the second post on this thread. It was on Gene Shay's show that I heard Joni Mitchell's recording of "Urge for Going," which is where all this started. You'll find lots of Mudcat threads are like this, weaving around with everybody contributing his or her personal take. I think it's great. I seem to remember Gene's show being on WDAS, but maybe it was WMMR.

Which reminds me of one of the station IDs they did at the time. Imagine the intro to "Cowgirl in the Sand" and then this high voice singing...

Hello out there in radio land
This here's your old friend Neil Young
After all these station IDs
I know you're thinkin' it's not really me
But if it was now, you know for sure
I'd listen to WMMR
In Philadelphia, in my home or in my car
(ending riff)

Are you listening, 'Spaw?

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Crowhugger
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 03:35 AM

Duffy Keith, the other person who slam-dunks it is my Mom. Go to Perth (that's Perth, Ontario, Canada) any Thursday evening that isn't hopelessly snowbound. Find the Crown and Thistle, and simply request it.

Aloha from Eastern Standard Time, Mark: this has been a most chatty thread, but do you have the chords yet? My mother isn't online but a phone call and a tikkety-tak at the keyboard can fix that...tomorrow if she's free. She won't appreciate me waking her right now for anything less than a death in the family.

Cheers.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,The Beanster
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:53 AM

Oh yes--I see the posting mentioning Gene Shay. That's what I get for not reading everything before I speak! And I don't really know if it was WMMR or 'DAS, but I do remember his show--he always had great uests. Still checking into that Dave Herman thing...asking around. Will get back to you.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:22 AM

Crowhugger, I wasn't looking for the chords, but thanks anyway for the offer. When I sing the song now, I smile, because I followed the urge and went. It took a long time, but it was worth it.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Lanfranc
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 06:53 PM

"Urge for Going" and "Marcie" changed my life. Back in 1968 I went to the Troubadour in London's Earls Court, and heard both sung by a Canadian singer called Shelley Posen. In the back room at the Troubadour, Shelley taught me the basics of Open G tuning and wrote out tab for "Marcie". I then rushed out and bought the Joni Mitchell first album and subsequently Tom Rush's "Urge for Going".

I decided I was missing out on too much great music out on the East Coast of England where I was living, and moved up to London in search of fortune and fame.

I only found poverty and notoriety, but I did end up as resident at the Troubadour for a couple of years, first with Paul McNeill and latterly with Alex Norton (who took to acting, and subsequently turns up in virtually every Scottish TV series or film from "Taggart" to "Braveheart" by way of Blackadder).

And yes, I still love and sing both songs after thirty-odd years.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,sheepdog
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 08:10 PM

Urge for going was released by Joni as a 45 and never appeared on an LP. I have it in my collection but can't locate it at the moment ... I remember it had a blue label and was hard to find when it was new ... bought it at Mads Records in Ardmore. Will get back with the details as soon as I locate it. Adios!

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 12:38 AM

Mad's Records...now there's a blast from the past. It's great to find all these old Philly connections. If I ever get back to Philly I'll look you all up, or invite the other expatriates to join me for a "reunion." (Remember Jerry's Records? Every album was $2.99 -- cheap even for 1969!) Boy, would I love to have a copy of that 45 of "Urge for Going."

And Alan, one of the first songs I learned on guitar was Tom Paxton's "Leaving London". There's a line, "Last night the Troubadour/Was so full they barred the door/And I sang a song she knows quite well." I went to Britain in 1978, during my two week vacation at the end of internship. While in London I stayed at a B&B in Earl's Court, and one night I went to the Troubadour. What a thrill to be in a place I'd sung about! Stefan Grossman was the feature and he was wonderful. You must have had a good time playing there. Thanks for all these memories, folks.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,Autumn Leaves
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 04:48 AM

lyrics anyone?

Subject: Lyr Add: URGE FOR GOING (from Tom Rush)
From: Tiger
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 07:48 AM

Here's the Tom Rush version. Beautiful song, wonderful use of words. Someone once said Rush is the only male who should be allowed to sing this song, though Dave Van Ronk has an interesting version, too.

URGE FOR GOING - Tom Rush
Written by Joni Mitchell

INTRODUCTION

I awoke today and found the frost perched on the town,
It hovered in a frozen sky and it gobbled summer down.
When the sun turns traitor cold,
And all the trees are shivering in a naked row,
I get the urge for going but I never seem to go.

And I get the urge for going, when the meadow grass is turning brown
Summertime is falling down and winter's closing in.

I had a man in summertime, he had summer colored skin,
And not another girl in town that darling's heart could win,
But when the leaves fell on the ground,
And bully winds come around and pushed them face down in the snow,
He got the urge for goin', and I had to let him go.

He got the urge for going when the meadow grass was turning brown,
And summertime was falling down and winter was closing in.

Now the warriors of winter they give a cold triumphant shout.
All that stays is dying, all that lives is getting out.
See the geese in chevron flight,
Flapping and a-racin' on before the snow,
They got the urge for going and they've got the wings so they can go.

They get the urge for going when the meadow grass is turning brown,
Summertime is falling down and winter's closing in.

REPEAT INTRODUCTION

I'll ply the fire with kindling, I'll pull the blankets to my chin,
I'll lock the vagrant winter out and I'll bolt my wandering in.
I'd like to call back summertime,
And have her stay for just another month or so,
But she's got the urge for going so I guess she'll have to go.

She gets the urge for going when the meadow grass is turning brown,
And all her empire's falling down and winter's closing in,
And I get the urge for going when the meadow grass is turning brown,
And summertime is falling down.

REPEAT INTRODUCTION

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,autumn leaves
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 08:38 AM

thanks, Tiger

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 05:56 PM

The first time I heard this song was on an album called "New Day" by Theodore Bikel. It's a very strange album, with covers of "Lady Jane" by the Stones and "Piggies", by the Beatles (the standout) and lots of Richard Perry's syrupy strings poured on top. And along with the songs are interspersed versus of poetry, to boot. But Bikel's amazing voice makes it worth while.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: dwditty
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 07:57 PM

Here You Go>br>
dw

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 08:05 PM

Dharmabum, isn't this the one you sang for me in our church one afternoon? If so, you certainly are a guy who should sing it. Izziss it? I've got the words now to work on for the harmonies... aw you played it so pretty...

~S~

Subject: RE: Help: tom rush's Urge for Going
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 12:12 PM

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: SharonA
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 04:14 PM

I'm not sure why this thread was refreshed, but as long as it's here...

For anyone who has been reading and enjoying this conversation, as I have been, I want to update the information about Gene Shay's radio show in Philadelphia.   Currently, his show appears on WXPN-FM (88.5 FM in Philly), the member-supported station at the University of Pennsylvania, on Sundays from 4pm to 8pm Eastern Time. Here's a link to more about the program: http://xpn.org/xpnv7/index.php?parent_id=56&end_node=0

I, too, remember hearing the Joni Mitchell recording of "Urge for Going" on Philadelphia radio. As I remember, it was recorded live, but I don't remember ever hearing where she had been singing when the recording was made. I do remember hearing background noise and conversation, though, and I think there was a spoken introduction to the song on the recording as well. Am I remembering this correctly? (...Perhaps I'm remembering a different Joni recording than others on this thread are talking about!)

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 04:33 PM

I'm wondering if Gary T's unknown lady might be Mary Black? She recorded a version of UFG a couple of years back, a very slow and moody rendering. Not sure which album it's on, but it was around the time of "Shine" and her departure to a less folky sound.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,Mark Cohen
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 05:17 PM

I'm glad GUEST refreshed this...I'd forgotten this enjoyable discussion. Sharon, I would imagine it's entirely possible that you heard a tape of Joni doing the song on Gene Shay's show, as I think he used to have live guests. I know the version I heard was recorded on a 45, because I heard it on a jukebox, on Nassau St. in Princeton.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Malachy
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 05:43 PM

I think the Mary Black version is on 'Babes in the Wood' CD. I managed to download Joni Mitchell version from Morpheus..about a year ago. I dont know if it's still going.
Mal

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: Callie
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 05:46 PM

Hi all

Luka Bloom recorded a version of the song on his album of covers "Keeper of the Flame" from a few years ago. It's a lovely version. I think he must have been a bit of a fan. Remember his song "To Begin To"? It always sounded like a tribute to Joni Mitchell to me.

Callie

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,jaze
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 06:14 PM

This is sort of thread creep I guess. One Joni Mitchell song I've always wanted to hear is Eastern Rain. Has anyone heard this song? Her web-site list a slew of songs she wrote and performed early on but never recorded(or never released). They could probably release a couple cd's with just those. Although her talent has been unerring over the years, I still like the early stuff best.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: michaelr
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 07:12 PM

"Eastern Rain" was recorded by Sandy Denny with Fairport Convention on their eponymous second album. Great record! It also includes "Fotheringay", "Nottamun Town", "She Moves Through the Fair", "Meet on the Ledge" and Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine".

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,T-boy
Date: 12 Feb 03 - 08:17 AM

Back in the sixties, Urge for Going was recorded by the Johnstones (UK). That's where I first learnt it from. Words seem similar to what was posted above.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: clueless don
Date: 12 Feb 03 - 11:18 AM

I own the 45 with "Urge for Going" recorded by Joni Mitchell. I'm pretty sure that the flip side is "You Turn Me on, I'm Irradiated" (or something like that.)

On my copy of the 45, the hole in the record is slightly off-center. This leads to a "wow" effect in the closing seconds of the recording.

Subject: RE: Help: Joni Mitchell's Urge for Going
From: GUEST,jtt
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 10:37 AM

Here's chords for it:

http://www.guitaretab.com/m/mitchell-joni/12680.htm