Joni Mitchell emerged at a time when the women’s rights movement was still building steam, and had to fight for recognition as a serious artist. Her image was often defined in terms of whom she was dating – a Rolling Stone article dubbed her “The Queen of El Lay”, and her famous boyfriends included David Crosby, Graham Nash, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne.
As Mitchell’s material became more ambitious, and her lyrics became more provocative, she was abandoned altogether by Rolling Stone, who gave 1975’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns a lukewarm review and named it as the worst album title of the year. If Mitchell appears overly self-promotional in interviews, ranking herself alongside Bob Dylan as the great solo artist of her generation, she’s generally justified, reacting to the sexism she encountered in her prime.
Mitchell’s a wonderful singer, songwriter, and guitarist; a childhood bout of polio left her unable to play guitar conventionally, and she’s an expert of alternative tunings. While her public persona is an acoustic guitar strumming hippie singing ‘Both Sides Now’ and ‘Chelsea Morning’, her musical reach expanded throughout the 1970s into pop and jazz. Towards the end of the 1970s, her albums became too insular for me to follow, but her run of albums in the early to mid 1970s is stunning, a peak that ranks with the greatest artists in popular music.
Joni Mitchell’s Five Best Albums
#5 – For The Roses
1972
It hurts to rank For The Roses fifth – it’s the overlooked album from her 1970s peak. It’s an important step in her development, a leap in musical sophistication after the emotionally naked Blue. Seemingly straightforward songs like ‘The Blonde in the Bleachers’ are filled with complex chord changes that showcase Mitchell’s growing musical sophistication. Her arrangements are fuller than before, with more guest musicians, but it’s centred around Mitchell’s acoustic guitar and piano. Songs like ‘For The Roses’ address Mitchell’s recent breakup with James Taylor.
#4 – The Hissing of Summer Lawns
1975
Mitchell focused on texture on 1975’s The Hissing of Summer Lawns, and it’s a much more eclectic record than anything she’d released previously. ‘The Jungle Line’ is built around a sample of Burundi drumming, while ‘Shadows and Light’ is filled with airy synthesizers. But the dominant mode of the The Hissing of Summer Lawns is sumptuous, provocative ballads like ‘Shades of Scarlett Conquering’ and ‘The Boho Dance’. ‘Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow’ is my favourite of Mitchell’s songs, with its fluid bass line and dobro textures. Prince was a fan of Mitchell, and was vocal in his admiration for The Hissing of Summer Lawns.
#3 – Hejira
1976
After splitting with drummer John Guerin, Mitchell embarked on a road trip. Hejira is a journal of her travels, documenting characters like the womanising ‘Coyote’ and veteran blues-man Furry Lewis. Musically, Hejira revolves around Mitchell’s guitar and Jaco Pastorius’s fretless bass. With the homogeneous sound, it’s perhaps the most difficult of the albums on this list to access, but it’s filled with gorgeous songs like ‘Amelia’ and ‘Refuge of the Roads’.
#2 – Blue
1971
Joni Mitchell’s early work was folk based – 1970’s Ladies of the Canyon featured singalong numbers like ‘The Circle Game’ and ‘Big Yellow Taxi’. Mitchell took a more direct approach with 1971’s Blue, a stripped back, emotionally vulnerable album that diaries her relationships with Graham Nash and James Taylor. Side two is the stronger with masterful songs like ‘A Case of You’ and ‘River’, and the intense paranoia of ‘This Flight Tonight’. Blue features Mitchell’s work on the Appalachian dulcimer.
#1 – Court and Spark
1974
All of Mitchell’s studio albums between 1971 and 1976 are strong, but my favourite is the smooth jazzy pop of Court and Spark. Mitchell recounts; “Nearly every bass player that I tried did the same thing. They would put up a dark picket fence through my music, and I thought, why does it have to go ploddy ploddy ploddy? Finally one guy said to me, Joni, you better play with jazz musicians.” The arrangements and the melodies of Court and Spark are smooth, and the singles like ‘Free Man In Paris’ and ‘Help Me’ are among Mitchell’s most approachable songs. But Mitchell’s typical romantic insecurity is present on songs like ‘Car On The Hill’ and ‘Down To You’.
Honourable Mentions
1977’s double album Don Juan’s Restless Daughter has lots of great moments, and it’s a little overlooked in her catalogue. 1969’s Clouds is the best of her early folk-oriented work, with gorgeous songs like ‘That Song About The Midway’. Miles of Aisles is a very good live album from the Court and Spark tour that features full-band remakes of earlier material and a great solo acoustic set.
Do you have a favourite Joni Mitchell album? Or song?
For a more detailed analysis of Joni Mitchell’s work, please visit https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/joni-mitchell/
Ohh. No Ladies Of The Canyon. Shocker
I’d have it at about #8 – I just think she got better after her folk phase. Some real good songs like ‘For Free’ and ‘Rainy Night House’ though.
Great to see Court and Spark at the top. It still sounds as good today as it did back then, Just Like This Train particularly. Brief love affair over, but she has loved and she’s okay. She’s got this berth and this roll-down blind, she’s got this fold-up sink. And these rocks and these cactuses going by. And a bottle of German wine to drink.
Clouds hit me as a soulful teenager and although it contains some brilliant stuff, feels a bit intense now.
Ladies of the Canyon, although almost as old, somehow feels cooler, with some fantastic atmospheres (you could make a film out of Rainy NIght House).
Blue never really registered with me for some reason.
But Hejira – wow. Coyote is typical Joni: romantic fool recalls bittersweet episode and regrets nothing. And in Blue Hotel Room she’s anticipating it, because it’s happened to her so often.
That a capella song on Clouds is a bit jarring.
I’ve been meaning to write something about Hissing Of Summer Lawns for an age. Melodically it’s just all over the place but still manages to be whistlable. And thanks for reminding me of For The Roses which reminds me of my big sister doing homework.
You can see why she might start losing listeners there – less accessible melodies, less demure lyrics – but it’s a really great record in hindsight.
I’ve got ‘revisiting the Joni catalogue’ noted for some point further down the line, as I just don’t really enjoy it. Though maybe the point isn’t to enjoy it… Some really striking music there and lots to admire, but I just haven’t felt any connection to it.
I think the 1971 to 1976 albums tower over the other work. I like the combination of an extremely gifted musician and someone who’s extremely vulnerable at times in her lyrics.
I’m not quite so enamoured with the earlier material but appreciate its unique voice.
Here’s my list of faves, fwiw.
4. Court and Spark
3. Hissing of Summer Lawns
2. Shadows and Light
1. Hejira
I would have assumed you’d go for the mid-1970s jazz-oriented albums. I do think she changed a lot after the first few albums were pretty twee – there’s a big gap between Song for a Seagull and For The Roses. No love for Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter and her tequila anaconda?
He heh. Quite Like ‘Mingus’ and (fearing backlash) ‘Night Ride Home’.
I’ve always been scared to go past the early 1980s, but I think Night Ride Home and Turbulent Indigo are generally considered her strongest late career albums.
Yeah, I like both of those. Also have the coffee franchise one, which is as dreadful as you’d imagine.
That would be my order for the Top 4 too!
Though so far those are the only 4 I have, but we’re in agreement about their order at least 🙂
“I drew a map of Canada. OH CANADA.”
Good on you for being able to list her albums in an order of favourites. Many has been the time I’ve wondered if I must turn in my Canadian card when I say I’m not actually a fan of her stuff. I’ve tried, I swear. It was only recently when 1537 sent me Blue on vinyl that I even got close to that record at all…
Well done, I’ll use this as a list of stuff to try next time I feel up to giving her music another go!
I’ve been a fan for years – I played Court and Spark almost exclusively for a few weeks after I bought it.
Awesome!
I couldn’t ever get totally into her stuff, i don’t know why? But maybe I’ll try again and give Court and Spark a listen!
I think you’ll find Court and Spark a bit poppy and Blue a bit early seventies hippy. Not sure which Joni you’d like….
Yeah, i think poppy can be OK so I will give it a go in the next few days or sometime. I don’t think I’ve listen to that one yet but I’ve heard Blue the most because it’s biggie and some of the others too. Maybe it is the hippy thing, a lot of those 60’s/70’s acts are just too hippy for me! She didn’t ever make her own punk album or something later on?
No, no punk album. She flirted with synths in the 1980s.
Yeah, i was just joking but maybe should have a listen to her 80’s synth stuff then!
Joni Mitchell is one of these artists I’ve been aware of literally for decades but sadly never really explored, so I’ll be sure to check out your top picks.
This morning, I chatted with a dear friend who I believe is a true Mitchell expert. He recommended her 1980 live album “Shadows And Light,” especially the title track. I listened to it right away, and it gave me goosebumps! The remainder of that album is great as well!
I’ve never actually heard Shadows and Light – track-wise it looks like it’s a pretty good summary of her 1974-1979 albums, so if you like it you’ll probably like that era – most of my favourite Joni stuff is in that era.
Song for Sharon is astonishing. Mitchell is another artists who matured in public yet held on to her edge. She spent her life making great music.
She’s definitely an all-time great for me, although I think most of her really great stuff was released within a relatively short time frame (1971-1977).
I know many people who prefer the work from the 70’s. The ‘Court and Spark’ album has surely passed the test of time.
I’m pretty sure most fans like the 1970s best, although I’m sure there are a few ardent fans of her 1960s folk material that broke with her when she went jazz.
I didn’t like the Mingus album, but I liked the way she used what she learned in her later work. I’m going to miss her.
I’m surprised to see so many people say they like Shadows and Light. I think it’s really inferior to her other live album Miles of Aisles. Actually Miles of Aisles is my fourth ranked of her albums. On two sides of it she does the songs from her first album up through Blue, and they are so Superior to the original versions. Never would have known that Last Time I saw Richard was a great song if I’d only heard the version on Blue. She sings it in her new lower voice, and it’s a real knockout. In fact all the songs from Blue are much better on Miles of Aisles. She sings them ten times better. And sometimes with a full band. Same with the songs from ladies of the canyon. 10 times better on miles of aisles because of her singing and the band. When I want to hear the song from ladies of the canyon, I reach for Miles of Aisles. Best of all is Rainy Night House. It’s awesome.
I like Miles of Aisles a lot, and I agree that the Ladies of Canyon material sounds a whole lot better there. I don’t generally include live albums on lists like that, but Miles of Aisles is probably about my 6th favourite Joni disc . Good performances, and enough differences from her studio versions to be worthwhile.
Here’s how I would rank them. Not too different from yours actually, with the exception of Blue.
The Hissing of Summer Lawns
Court and Spark
For the Roses
Miles of Aisles
Hejira
I did just tidy this page a little to correct the Rolling Stone reference, and I gave Miles of Aisles a mention too. Thanks for the feedback!
As I just referenced Joni in your Ten Best Singer-Songwriters post, I thought I should respond here in longer form.
Joni Mitchell is the most compelling artist to me, musically and lyrically, but mostly musically. I’ve returned to her music again and again for over thirty years just to hear her voice, guitar, piano and totally unique arrangements. You do a superb job detailing her albums, and I love reading your descriptions for each one!
I totally agree with the five albums you selected! And I love them all so much, that your order could possibly stand some days, as it can change depending on which ones I’m connecting with at the time. But if I were to adjust for my own preference, for an all-time Top 5, I would adjust as follows:
5. For The Roses
4. Blue
3. The Hissing Of Summer Lawns
2. Court And Spark
1. Hejira
I’m a musician first (electric bass/acoustic guitar), and songwriter/lyricist a far distant second. So I find the top three albums (on my adjusted list above), endlessly compelling not only due to Joni’s contributions, but also for the contributions of her musical accompanists. I’m particularly fond of and inspired by John Guerin on drums (all 3 albums!); Wilton Felder (CAS & THOSL) and Jaco Pastorius (Hejira only) on bass (nothing against Max Bennett, he’s great too, I just especially love these two bass player’s signature lines and touches!); and Larry Carlton on electric guitar (all 3 albums!). These fundamental “rock” band components are masterfully handled by these four musicians. Sensitivity, precision, passion, and tasteful restraint (well, not Jaco on the last one but he gets a special pass), are the qualities that these musicians bring to Joni’s songs and arrangements in beautiful and wonderful ways.
I think you’d agree that Hejira practically features Jaco and Larry Carlton. Jaco gets more accolades, deservedly so; but Larry and John Guerin are the unsung heroes on this unbeatable triptych of albums, IMHO. And with that I should also mention Bobbye Hall on percussion (Hejira), and Tom Scott’s horns and horn arrangements as well (all 3 albums, but especially Court and Spark). Joni found the sweet spot with these three albums, IMHO, and this was absolutely due to a group effort by all the musicians mentioned above as well as all the other musicians not highlighted here.
And finally, for what it’s worth, my favorite songs from each of these three fantastic albums are:
Coyote
Amelia
Hejira
Black Crow
Refuge of the Roads
In France They Kiss On Main Street
Edith and the Kingpin
Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow
Sweet Bird
Court And Spark
Help Me
People’s Parties
The Same Situation
Car On A Hill
Down To You
some albums are not only great musically but they perfectly capture the zeitgeist o the times. court and spark asks the rhetorical question when did the sexual revolution go from liberating to irresponsible. i would take this album to a desert island.
I probably wouldn’t take Court of Spark to a desert island because it’s burnt into my brain from spinning it constantly for a couple of weeks. Great record though – easily in my all time top 10.