Joni Mitchell
By Garett Gee and Alexa Gualazzi
Background info
 Joni Mitchell was born on November 7, 1943
 She was raised in Saskatoon, taking up painting and music very early
 When she was little her left hand was weakened because of polio, this left her chords
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sounding more like jazz than folk or rock
Her name was originally Roberta Joan Anderson
She attended the Alberta College of Art
She was noticed first for her writing and art
She begun as a folk singer through the sixties and early seventies
moved to Toronto and married folk singer Chuck Mitchell keeping his name after the
divorce
Mitchell was signed to Reprise Records in 1967
She had a daughter, who she put up for adoption.
She met the girl in 1996, and they now have a good relationship.
Her name is Klaurin Gibb she’s a model in Canada
Joni Mitchell inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997
Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the
I've looked at love
air and feather canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds
that way.
from both sides now, from give and take, and still
somehow
But now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on
everyone.
it's love's illusions I recall.
So many things I would have done but clouds got in my
way.
I really don't know love at all.
Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say "I love you" right out loud,
I've looked at clouds from both sides now,
from up and down, and still somehow
it's cloud illusions I recall.
dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I've looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they say
I've changed.
Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.
I really don't know clouds at all.
I've looked at life from both sides now,
Moons and Junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way
you feel
as every fairy tale comes real; I've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show. You leave 'em laughing
when you go,
and if you care, don't let them know, don't give yourself
away.
from win and lose, and still somehow
it's life's illusions I recall.
I really don't know life at all.
springs and 16 summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town
And they tell him take your time it won't be long now
Yesterday a child came out to wander
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar Fearful when the sky was
full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star
'Til you drag your feet to slow the circles down
And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round in the circle game
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round in the circle game
So the years spin by and now the boy is 20
Then the child moved ten times 'round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like when you're older must appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
They'll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through
And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
And the seasons they go round and round
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round in the circle game
We're captive on the carousel of time
And the painted ponies go up and down
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round in the circle game
And go round and round and round in the circle game
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot SPOT
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got ‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
Then they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you've got ‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Hey farmer, farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But LEAVE me the birds and the bees Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got ‘Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Come and took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got ‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
I said
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got ‘Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise And put up a parking lot
She pulls the shade;
It's just another sunny Sunday
She dodges the light like Blanche DuBois
Bright colors fade away on such a sunny Sunday;
She waits for the night to fall
Then she points a pistol through the door
And she aims at the streetlight
While the freeway hisses
Dogs bark as the gun falls to the floor
The streetlight's still burning;
She always misses
But the day she hits
That's the day she'll leave
That one little victory, that's all she needs!
She pulls the shade;
It's just another sunny Monday
She waits for the night to fall
Help me I think I'm falling
Didn't it feel good
in love again
we were sitting there talking
When I get that crazy feeling
or lying there not talking
I know I'm in trouble again
Didn't it feel good
I'm in trouble
You dance with the lady with the hole in her stocking
'cause you're a rambler and a gambler
didn't it feel good
and a sweet-talking ladies man
didn't it feel good
And you love your lovin'
But not like you love your freedom
Help me I think I'm falling in love
with you
Help me I think I'm falling in love
Are you going to let me go there by myself
too fast
That's such a lonely thing to do
It's got me hoping for the future
Both of us flirting around
and worrying about the past
Flirting and flirting
'cause I've seen some hot hot blazes
Hurting too
come down to smoke and ash
We love our lovin'
We love our lovin'
But not like we love our freedom
But not like we love our freedom
The way I see it
I deal in dreamers and telephone screamers
He said you just can't win it
Lately I wonder what I do it for
Everybody's in it for their own gain
If I had my way, I'd just walk through those doors
You can't please them all
And wander down the Champs-Élysées
There's always somebody callin you down
Goin' café to cabaret
I do my best and I do good business
Thinkin how I'd feel when I find that very good friend of mine
There's alot of people askin for my time
They're trying to get ahead
They're trying to be a good friend of mine
I was a free man in Paris
I felt unfettered and alive
There was nobody callin me up for favors
And no one's future to decide
You know I'd go back there tomorrow
But for the work I've taken on
Stokin the star maker machinery behind the popular song
I was a free man in Paris
I felt unfettered and alive
Nobody was callin me up for favors
No one's future to decide
You know I'd go back there tomorrow
But for the work I've taken on
Stokin the star maker machinery behind the popular song
If you're driving into town
If you've got too many doubts
With a dark cloud above you
If there's no good reception for me
Dial in the number
Then tune me out, 'cause honey
Who's bound to love you
Who needs the static I
Oh honey you turn me on
t hurts the head
I'm a radio
And you wind up cracking
I'm a country station
And the day goes dismal From
I'm a little bit corny
"Breakfast Barney"
I'm a wide open flower
To the sign-off prayer
Waiting for you
What a sorry face you get to wear
I'm a broadcasting tower
I'm going to tell you again now
Waving for you
If you're still listening there I
And I'm sending you out
f you're driving into town
This signal here
With a dark cloud above you
I hope you can pick it up
Dial in the number
Loud and clear
Who's bound to love you
I know you don't like weak women
If you're lying on the beach
You get bored so quick
With the transistor going
And you don't like strong women
Kick off the sandflies honey
'Cause they're hip to your tricks
The love's still flowing
It's been dirty for dirty
If your head says forget it
Down the line
But your heart's still smoking
But you know I come when you whistle
Call me at the station
And you're loving and kind
The lines are open
I think i understand
Daylight falls upon the path, the forest falls behind
Oh, I think I understand
Today I am not prey to dark uncertainty
Fear is like a wilderland
The shadow trembles in its wrath,
Stepping stones and sinking sand
I've robbed its blackness blind
Sometimes voices in the night will call me back
And tasted sunlight as my fear came clear to me
again
I think I understand
Back along the pathway of a troubled mind
Fear is like a wilderland
When forests rise to block the light that keeps a
Stepping stones or sinking sand
traveler sane
Now the way leads to the hills, above the steeple's
I'll challenge them with flashes from a brighter time
chime
Oh, I think I understand
Below me sleepy rooftops round the harbor
Fear is like a wilderland
It's there I'll take my thirsty fill of friendship over wine
Stepping stones or sinking sand
Forgetting fear but never disregarding her