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01 Sep 02 - 05:44 AM (#775109) Subject: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: GUEST,Taliesn Seeing as how this great artist is losing her voice to too many years of tar & nicotine taking their toll , so that live performances are getting ever scarcer , I was wondering which of her songs are currently being covered amongst y'all. I ask because , as she's nearing 60, I fear she may have just one album of new material left before she decides her voice is beyond repair , or health issues arise , though I hope this fear is unfounded. I was horrified to see her , during that dual concert tour with Dylan , actually light up and smoke during one of her more 'round midnight'-styled jazz-oriented songs affecting a "caberet" atmosphere: in the mood of something in-between Edith Piaf and Ricky Lee Jones. The performance was still brilliant yet melancholy in the way she exuded a profound accommodation with her addiction and with what she has to be aware of as the damage it has done to her voice. Yet , being the artist she is ,she knows how to use what she's got left to great effect. Her rendition of "Woodstock" now sounds like words sung by an ancient sage now and very profound. Ya'll can see & hear what I mean on the last recorded live performance of her's , "Painting with Words". She's also as fine and as seasoned a musician as ever . |
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01 Sep 02 - 09:29 AM (#775135) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Morticia I cover Circle Game, occasionally Big Yellow Taxi,and Song to a Seagull. I also sing lots, perhaps almost all of her songs when not on stage.You might have guessed I am a huge fan. |
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01 Sep 02 - 10:51 AM (#775162) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: X I like to pick "Both Sides Now" on my 5-string.
Morticia: |
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01 Sep 02 - 06:02 PM (#775336) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Lanfranc Having just acquired a 5-string, yes, please, Morty! I still sing "Marcie", "Nathan la Franeer", "Circle Game", "Both Sides, Now", "Tin Angel", "Urge for Going", "Big Yellow Taxi", "Chelsea Morning", "A Case of You", "Carey", "River", "Amelia", and "Morning Morgantown" (Strewth, I hadn't realised how many until I listed them!) As you will see, I switched off learning new JM songs in the early 70s, but those I still perform have stood the test of time well. Many of her songs were almost impossible for a chap to sing without considerable rewriting, but I took my lead from Tom Rush, who was the first person I heard singing her material on record. "Marcie" actually changed the direction of my life. I heard a Canadian singer called Shelley Posen sing that song in the London Troubadour in 1968, and it was while listening to it that I decided to move to London in search of fortune and fame. Shelley taught me to play in open G and open D in the back room of the Troub. I moved to London, only found poverty and notoriety, but had a lot of fun along the way, including seeing JM live and solo a couple of times. Smoking? It's sad that her voice is going, but I can sympathise with her, I gave up cigarettes years ago, but must confess to a continuing cigar habit. You have to die of something, and preferably not Alzheimers! Joni and I might cough in the faces of those gathered around our death beds, but at least we should be able to recognise who is there! "There are few pleasures in life that it is worth forgoing for the sake of an extra six months in an old peoples' home." (John Mortimer) Alan |
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02 Sep 02 - 02:52 AM (#775415) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Callie I used to be able to play and sing "Roses Blue" but didn't keep up the practise and now wonder how the hell i did it! Callie |
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02 Sep 02 - 03:22 AM (#775422) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Mudlark I've sung Playin' Real Good for Free for years. JM is a real original...I love her songs--great lyrics, quirky melodies--and she is a compelling performer as well. Tho I don't play or sing it, Ethiopa plays in my head a lot... |
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02 Sep 02 - 04:10 AM (#775428) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: GUEST,Patrish I am also a huge fan of Joni, I used to sing Ladies of the Canyon, Circle Game, Little Green, You turn me on I'm a radio, and Come in from the Cold. But it has to be said - I did not sing them very well! Patrish |
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02 Sep 02 - 06:12 AM (#775452) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: fogie I loved Joni's early stuff, the last song I used to sing was Amelia- was it in open C orG??? |
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02 Sep 02 - 06:54 AM (#775473) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Willie-O I guess the only one I really play, occasionally, is Circle Game, a recurring item on the lists above. She uses so many different tunings, its part of her claim to fame. She did a long interview on CBC radio a few years ago with the late lamented Peter Gzowski (who succumbed to tobacco cancer this year), very interesting stuff. She told him people used to think of her as a folksinger, especially in the early days, because she looked like one, but she never thought of herself that way. I agree, and I don't think of her as a jazz singer either. She's just Joni Mitchell. W-O W-O |
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02 Sep 02 - 04:38 PM (#775744) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: alanabit I used to do The Circle Game. I just wish I could do a version of Cactus Tree which made sense. Woman of Heart and Mind and A Case of You are two others I would love to do - but I don't think they would sound right being done by a greying forty seven year old bloke! |
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03 Sep 02 - 02:56 AM (#775978) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: GUEST,BlueJay Managed to play Circle Game for my daughter's 18th birthday. Had a lot of meaning at the time. I've always loved Joni Mitchell. Her voice and songwriting talents are really beyond compare, IMO. There are better singers, and there are better songs, but it's hard to think of many musicians who have so much talent in one package, so to speak. Occasionally, our band, D&A, plays "Rainy Night". We don't do many cover songs, but Kris, our vocalist really has the voice for it. And we all love Joni Mitchell songs. (Shameless Plug): The D&A band, (guitar, flute, bass and vocals), is so fortunate to have Kris Naeyart as a vocalist. Not only is her singing top-notch, but her song-writing abilities, along with our guitarist David Enke, has sent our list of original songs to about fifty five or sixty. Which is why we don't do many covers, except for "Rainy Night". Thanks, BlueJay |
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03 Sep 02 - 09:32 AM (#776148) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: SharonA In public I've performed "Big Yellow Taxi", "Circle Game", "Both Sides Now", "(He Played Real Good) For Free", "Urge for Going", "Carey (Get Out Your Cane)", "All I Want" (from the "Blue" album) and "Marcie" – all using bastardized guitar arrangements with standard tuning. In private I love to harmonize along with most of the songs on the older albums, and I'd perform more of them if only I would learn the proper guitar chords and tunings! |
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03 Sep 02 - 11:26 AM (#776202) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: GUEST,Taliesn I had to ask this question just to see which songs of hers were of common currency among performing folk and see what turned up. "Circle Game" was a given and no surprise. I was gladdened to see "For Free" given attention. I was surprised to see no attempts at "Woodstock". Listening to her last recorded performance of it on the DVD "Painting With Words" should convince anyone it's not a hard song do. I mean if Richard Thompson's limited voal range an make it equally as timeless than any red-blooded folk artist can. If one is still somewhat timid of performing it due to the "stereotyping" of the subject matter , take heart. This is the 21st century for crying out loud and "Woodstock" is far enough removed in time from the actual event to have acquired that patina of being a song of oral history about the *meaning* of a unique moment in time. Isn't that one of thew *key* purposes of folk music; to record events for all time to be passed down from generation to the next *aurally*. Just tell your audience that Mitchel herself did not attend but wrote it from an actual distance and yet *intuitively* crystalized the cultural event for all time. Too quote an pt line from Francois Truffault's character Lacombe in "Close encounters of the Third Kind" when trying to make the point of why it was important that people of all walks of life felt drawn to the unknown "landing site" out of their own volition : " It is an event sociologique ". Anyway just thought a Joni Mitchel thread was appropriate and hopefully advocating more of her music being performed is time well spent. Somehow , all of a sudden, I just want to listen to "Sisotobel Lane" . Gee it a listen,lads n' lasses , ye might just find wee nugget worth polishin'.
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31 Mar 03 - 12:58 PM (#922685) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: sharyn I sing a lot of these, but rarely give public performances these days. If I did, Mitchell songs that crop up frequently are "That Song About the Midway," "Cactus Tree," "A Case of You," "River," "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio." And I'm always singing snatches of "Help Me," "Electricity," "Blue Steel and Sweet Fire." I used to sing "People's Parties" a lot -- might pick it up again. |
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31 Mar 03 - 01:17 PM (#922703) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Merritt I've played other JM tunes, but in the last 12 months: ~ River (Open D) ~ That Song About The Midway (Open G w/ capo on 2) ~ Cary (Open G w/ capo somewhere; mix of rhythm & slide) – when I can accompany a woman who'll sing it; you can really get rhythm on this song - Merritt |
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31 Mar 03 - 01:32 PM (#922730) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Fran Chris While, Julie Matthews, Maart Allcock, Pete Zorn and Neil Marshall are on tour at the moment as a band called "Blue Tapestry". They are as the name suggests singing songs form the writing of Joni Mitchell and Carole King, I saw them last year and they were very good. |
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31 Mar 03 - 04:53 PM (#922889) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Lane I play Circle Game, as well.... what a fine song and I, too, sing it to my kids as they grow up.... I'm almost in need of another verse though - they're all passing twenty. I recently re-learned it in Open G and what a joy it is to play that way.... would like to find more of her songs in alt. tunings.. Good tread.. |
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31 Mar 03 - 06:31 PM (#922987) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Jazzyjack " Marcie '", my all time fav. Joni Mitchell tune. " Urge For Going " I paly for myself but it is so slow that I may never perform it in public. |
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01 Apr 03 - 12:30 PM (#923667) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: C-flat I've learned a fair few Joni Mitchell songs over the years, mainly because of the lovely tunings she uses, and I've heard a number of them covered by others too, but I'm really impressed with "Counting Crows" version of "Big Yellow Taxi". A most interesting arrangement which I heard them perform at a concert recently. |
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01 Apr 03 - 04:57 PM (#923874) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Lane Jazzyjack - (0r others) Do you have tab/lyrics for Marcie or Urge for Going that you mentioned? |
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01 Apr 03 - 06:21 PM (#923958) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Little Hawk I used to do "Circle Game", "Both Sides Now", and "Cactus Tree". There are plenty of others I sing along to, but I don't actually play them. - LH |
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02 Apr 03 - 06:03 PM (#924819) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Jazzyjack Lane; They are easily obtained on the net." Marcie" is in open G with the standard formations and lots of barring. I do "Urge" like Tom Rush's version in the key of A with no special tuning. |
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02 Apr 03 - 08:50 PM (#924914) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Lane JazzyJack.... thanks. I found Marcie - and Joni's version of "Urge... ", but I, too, like Tom Rush's version better - I haven 't been able to find tab or chords for his, but I'll keep looking. |
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03 Apr 03 - 04:44 AM (#925093) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: John MacKenzie Michael from Mountains, Circle Game, Both sides now, Big Yellow Taxi. Didn't realise she is a smoker, so sad, especially when she sings for a living. Still in love with her though!! Giok |
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04 Apr 03 - 02:05 AM (#925850) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Jazzyjack Lane; Just played " Urge " again after a long time( even remembered the words) . Chords are simple; Just noodle around on " A " and " A sus " , slipping down to completely open ( some kind of G ) a bit for the first 2 lines then go to D, C and D, C, E for the next 2 lines and repeat the start again. Simple but effective. Jack |
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04 Apr 03 - 09:27 AM (#926015) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Lane Thanks Jack! I'll take a shot at it... appreciate it very much Lane |
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04 Apr 03 - 10:22 AM (#926055) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: Peg Being a fair soprano, I can sing along to most of Joni's early stuff; used to do just that with a freind who knew a lot of the songs a few years ago. I am not much of a guitar player, though, but when I played a bit I could just accompany myslef on Cactus Tree... Would love to learn Tin Angel, Case of You, All I Really Want, Green, pretty much anything from Blue or For the Roses or Clouds...which I think are her best albums. |
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04 Apr 03 - 11:15 PM (#926514) Subject: RE: What Joni Mitchel songs covered ? From: raredance Many moons ago a friend and I used to sing a medley of Ochs' "My Kingdom For a Car" and Joni's "Big Yellow Taxi" rich r |