Joni Mitchell - Hejira

[A Lark Ascending]

Exactly my reaction to 'Mingus'. Found it interesting at the time but didn't quite get it - the melodies are very hard to trace. But over time I've really warmed to it.

For me it's the last of the great Joni albums. Apart from the odd track what came after never connected. Although I do quite like the lush, smokey revisiting/standards records of a decade or so back.

[skeith]

"Mingus" is one that grows on me more and more through the years. When first released it just seemed an odd duck to me, not really jazz and not really Joni. But over the years my listening has really expanded my sense of what is jazz and what is Joni, and I hear it all as much more cohesive and sincere than I ever did before.

Love the lyrics of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." Really works for me. Over the years the truth of these lines (that seemed sort of glib and shallow to me on first listenings) have revealed themselves:

Love is never easy

It's short of the hope we have for happiness

Bright and sweet

Love is never easy street!

Yes, I agree Lon... and I think what some objected in the lyrics of Goodbye Pork Pie Hat were some of the inaccuracies about Lester marrying a white wife and being chased out of a hotel room.... which I don't think happened but I am granting poetic license.

[skeith]

Exactly my reaction to 'Mingus'. Found it interesting at the time but didn't quite get it - the melodies are very hard to trace. But over time I've really warmed to it.

For me it's the last of the great Joni albums. Apart from the odd track what came after never connected. Although I do quite like the lush, smokey revisiting/standards records of a decade or so back.

I take it you do not like Don Juan's Reckless Daughter... which I am now considering.

[jlhoots]

Old fart that I am, it's still Blue for me.

[jazzbo]

Exactly my reaction to 'Mingus'. Found it interesting at the time but didn't quite get it - the melodies are very hard to trace. But over time I've really warmed to it.

For me it's the last of the great Joni albums. Apart from the odd track what came after never connected. Although I do quite like the lush, smokey revisiting/standards records of a decade or so back.

I take it you do not like Don Juan's Reckless Daughter... which I am now considering.

That one is . . .worth considering. Had I known I would have thrown it on when you were here, if I could find it in the chaos of my collection on either cd or lp, I have both.

It has some really interesting, sort of gimmicky, Jaco. Still interesting all these years later, still gimmicky too. And it has an orchestrated piece that I sometimes like and sometimes just skip. More of the confessional tattle taling of "Hejira," and it has one song that I will never forget and will always love, "The Silky Veils of Ardor." That is just a song I loved at first hearing and will never not be moved by.

Lyrics don't look like much on paper, but they really work with this melody, the atmospheric recording, and her delivery.

I am a poor wayfaring stranger

Traveling through all these highs and lows

I heard there was no sickness

And no toil or danger

Just mercy and plenty

Where peaceful waters flow

Where peaceful waters flow

Come all you fair and tender school girls

Be careful now when you court young men

They are like the stars

On a summer morning

They sparkle up the night

And they're gone again

Daybreak gone again

If I'd only seen through the silky veils of ardor

What a killing crime this love can be

I would have locked up my heart

In a golden sheath of armor

And kept its crazy beating

Under strictest secrecy

High security

I wish I had the wings

Of Noah's pretty little white dove

So I could fly this raging river

To reach the one I love

But I have no wings

And the water is so wide

We'll have to row a little harder

It's just in dreams we fly

In my dreams we fly!

Edited November 19, 2013 by jazzbo

[skeith]

Old fart that I am, it's still Blue for me.

Yeah... for me too I still think that is my all-time favorite... but am discovering some of these later works that I dismissed at the time and they are much better than I had imagined.

[A Lark Ascending]

I really like Don Juan (apart from Paprika Plains - way too over the top for me). It came out before 'Mingus'

The way she sings and plays Silky Veils is a highlight. The lyrics seem to be an agglomeration of various folk songs - the traditional process evolving as ever.

The C&S, Hissing, Hekira trilogy are the apex for me. I initially found earlier Joni too heart on sleeve confessional (not quite cricket for we Brits). But I learned to love them too.

As I mentioned in some other thread, I'd love to hear a live recording of her around 1970. They must exist - all I know is a 30 minute BBC show from that time. Miles of Aisles is a great record but its well into her 'grown up' stage.

Edited November 19, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[jazzbo]

The lyrics seem to be an agglomeration of various folk songs - the traditional process evolving as ever.

Right. Next time Joni infers Bob steals lyrics I'd like to point these out to her.

I really don't get into Court and Hissing any longer, used to, but they don't grab me now. Maybe one day. For me the trilogy is Hejira, Don and Mingus.

[danasgoodstuff]

Did I post here about her little pissing match with the whole darn city of Saskatoon this summer?

[JSngry]

At some point I need to go back to the Geffen stuff. At the time, I remember thinking "good songs, not good production", which was more of a swing factor for me then than it's likely to be now. I was wanting more of the "loose" Joni, and this seemed more...sheeny or something. Again, likely to not matter so much to me now. But it might?

Anybody here really check that stuff out, like, in-depth?

[mjzee]

I had the first few Geffens at the time. Wild Things Run Fast was OK, was the most reminiscent of the Asylums. The ones after that, well... besides the politics, which was a real turnoff (at least for me), they had the vibe of a pop star getting old and crochety and saying "the world's going wrong!" when really, she was just feeling the time passing her by. Those were my impressions; other stars in the same bag at the time were Jackson Browne, Don Henley, etc.

But if WTRF interests you, be sure to see the video from the same time, originally released on Pioneer Laserdisc (it's really good):

Amazon

[A Lark Ascending]

There's something in the production being the problem idea on the Geffen's. I quite warmed to some of those songs when redone on those retrospective albums.

The one song from latter days that I thing is brilliant is her working of Yeats' 'The Second Coming'. As good as anything from her heyday.

As for her pontifications, she's never been slow to wave the knife. I suppose if you've been told your a genius for decades..

I also really like...

Tends to get overlooked as a halfway house between the albums with limited support and the ones with a cast of thousands. I've always found the song about Beethoven very moving.

Edited November 20, 2013 by A Lark Ascending

[mjzee]

As I mentioned in some other thread, I'd love to hear a live recording of her around 1970. They must exist - all I know is a 30 minute BBC show from that time. Miles of Aisles is a great record but its well into her 'grown up' stage.

There was a live bootleg LP that had (I think) fairly wide distribution titled "Lennie and Dom Songs (Early On)." There's no recording date listed on the album, but the Net seems to think it was 1969 or 1970. Sound quality is OK. Songs are: Chelsea Morning, Cactus Tree, Night In The City, Marcie/Nathan La Franeer, Rainy Night House/Blue Boy, For Free, Get Together (The Youngbloods' song; great version), The Fiddle And The Drum, I Think I Understand, Both Sides Now.

[A Lark Ascending]

As I mentioned in some other thread, I'd love to hear a live recording of her around 1970. They must exist - all I know is a 30 minute BBC show from that time. Miles of Aisles is a great record but its well into her 'grown up' stage.

There was a live bootleg LP that had (I think) fairly wide distribution titled "Lennie and Dom Songs (Early On)." There's no recording date listed on the album, but the Net seems to think it was 1969 or 1970. Sound quality is OK. Songs are: Chelsea Morning, Cactus Tree, Night In The City, Marcie/Nathan La Franeer, Rainy Night House/Blue Boy, For Free, Get Together (The Youngbloods' song; great version), The Fiddle And The Drum, I Think I Understand, Both Sides Now.

Sounds good.

She must have some of her stuff recorded. Given what Neil Young is bringing up from the well, you'd hope Joni could do something similar.

I'll not hold my breath. It must be ten years since we were promised some major reissues of the mid-70s albums.

[skeith]

There's something in the production being the problem idea on the Geffen's. I quite warmed to some of those songs when redone on those retrospective albums.

The one song from latter days that I thing is brilliant is her working of Yeats' 'The Second Coming'. As good as anything from her heyday.

As for her pontifications, she's never been slow to wave the knife. I suppose if you've been told your a genius for decades..

I also really like...

Tends to get overlooked as a halfway house between the albums with limited support and the ones with a cast of thousands. I've always found the song about Beethoven very moving.

For the Roses ... yes I agree and think that one is as good as anything else she ever did... at least what I have heard.

As I mentioned in some other thread, I'd love to hear a live recording of her around 1970. They must exist - all I know is a 30 minute BBC show from that time. Miles of Aisles is a great record but its well into her 'grown up' stage.

There was a live bootleg LP that had (I think) fairly wide distribution titled "Lennie and Dom Songs (Early On)." There's no recording date listed on the album, but the Net seems to think it was 1969 or 1970. Sound quality is OK. Songs are: Chelsea Morning, Cactus Tree, Night In The City, Marcie/Nathan La Franeer, Rainy Night House/Blue Boy, For Free, Get Together (The Youngbloods' song; great version), The Fiddle And The Drum, I Think I Understand, Both Sides Now.

What about Shadows and Light - isn't that also a live album? Is it any good?

[mjzee]

There's something in the production being the problem idea on the Geffen's. I quite warmed to some of those songs when redone on those retrospective albums.

The one song from latter days that I thing is brilliant is her working of Yeats' 'The Second Coming'. As good as anything from her heyday.

As for her pontifications, she's never been slow to wave the knife. I suppose if you've been told your a genius for decades..

I also really like...

Tends to get overlooked as a halfway house between the albums with limited support and the ones with a cast of thousands. I've always found the song about Beethoven very moving.

For the Roses ... yes I agree and think that one is as good as anything else she ever did... at least what I have heard.

As I mentioned in some other thread, I'd love to hear a live recording of her around 1970. They must exist - all I know is a 30 minute BBC show from that time. Miles of Aisles is a great record but its well into her 'grown up' stage.

There was a live bootleg LP that had (I think) fairly wide distribution titled "Lennie and Dom Songs (Early On)." There's no recording date listed on the album, but the Net seems to think it was 1969 or 1970. Sound quality is OK. Songs are: Chelsea Morning, Cactus Tree, Night In The City, Marcie/Nathan La Franeer, Rainy Night House/Blue Boy, For Free, Get Together (The Youngbloods' song; great version), The Fiddle And The Drum, I Think I Understand, Both Sides Now.

What about Shadows and Light - isn't that also a live album? Is it any good?

Shadows and Light is good, but Lark asked about recordings from 1970. S&L is from 1979. See the video:

[A Lark Ascending]

I briefly had Shadows and Light around 1979. Sounded fine but, as far as I can recall, didn't seem that different from the albums the songs were drawn from. One I sold off. Be interesting to hear it now - I might think differently.

On the band tracks of 'Miles of of Aisles' the songs get some interesting changes of arrangement.

[Joe]

I like Joni. She understands that sometimes you have to go too far.

SHADOWS AND LIGHT is much better as a viewed rather than exclusively listened experience. Seeing that particular band actually interact on-stage is pretty intriguing, to say the least.

For the BLUE fans, here is an early performance of "Little Green" (among her most heartbreaking "confessions," IMO) with slightly different lyrics...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQzMt0M8fRc

[Daniel A]

Around 2006 expanded 2 CD editions of 'Hejira' and 'Court...' were announced, though now it seems clear that they never came out. They were even assigned catalog numbers and still have listings at Amazon ("unavailable"), but rumour has it that Joni didn't wanted to see additional material released.

Does anyone around here know more?

Edited November 21, 2013 by Daniel A

[skeith]

I just got Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (available from EU ... no US production?) and like other recent purchases from these mid to late seventies Joni - I like this one too and wonder how I got sucked into a lot of negativity that was directed towards these albums.

I don't think Don Juan is as strong as Hejira or Mingus, but I like it based on a few initial listenings.

I like Paprika Plains..;could do without the Tenth World drum track (it's fine but seems out of place)... I find the opening track Cotton Avenue a bit weak... what is she saying here... on first impression I was wondering whether she is making some commentary on rock stars or artists being like "slaves" or am I reading too much into it....anyway a bit murky.

As many of you say, Silky Veils is a great track. Some recycling going on here ... one track has the Coyote sound very close and Dreamland sounds like that track on Hissing of Summer Lawns (Boho Dance?). I like her imitation of a chicken.

Nevertheless a good album and I am enjoying it.

Seems she was visiting Miami around this time.

Edited December 3, 2013 by skeith

[mjzee]

Re Don Juan's... do you get a sense of the person (not the artist, but the person) spinning out of control?

[skeith]

Re Don Juan's... do you get a sense of the person (not the artist, but the person) spinning out of control?

from the more personal songs like "talk to me" and "off night backstreet" yes

[rockefeller center]

8 beers plus "Off Night Backstreet"

[jazzbo]

I just got Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (available from EU ... no US production?) and like other recent purchases from these mid to late seventies Joni - I like this one too and wonder how I got sucked into a lot of negativity that was directed towards these albums.

I don't think Don Juan is as strong as Hejira or Mingus, but I like it based on a few initial listenings.

I like Paprika Plains..;could do without the Tenth World drum track (it's fine but seems out of place)... I find the opening track Cotton Avenue a bit weak... what is she saying here... on first impression I was wondering whether she is making some commentary on rock stars or artists being like "slaves" or am I reading too much into it....anyway a bit murky.

As many of you say, Silky Veils is a great track. Some recycling going on here ... one track has the Coyote sound very close and Dreamland sounds like that track on Hissing of Summer Lawns (Boho Dance?). I like her imitation of a chicken.

Nevertheless a good album and I am enjoying it.

Seems she was visiting Miami around this time.

Not sure what she is up to lyrically on "Cotton Avenue." Probably not as much depth as one might want to assign to the meaning. It may be just a sort of warmup to "Mingus."

[skeith]

I just got Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (available from EU ... no US production?) and like other recent purchases from these mid to late seventies Joni - I like this one too and wonder how I got sucked into a lot of negativity that was directed towards these albums.

I don't think Don Juan is as strong as Hejira or Mingus, but I like it based on a few initial listenings.

I like Paprika Plains..;could do without the Tenth World drum track (it's fine but seems out of place)... I find the opening track Cotton Avenue a bit weak... what is she saying here... on first impression I was wondering whether she is making some commentary on rock stars or artists being like "slaves" or am I reading too much into it....anyway a bit murky.

As many of you say, Silky Veils is a great track. Some recycling going on here ... one track has the Coyote sound very close and Dreamland sounds like that track on Hissing of Summer Lawns (Boho Dance?). I like her imitation of a chicken.

Nevertheless a good album and I am enjoying it.

Seems she was visiting Miami around this time.

Not sure what she is up to lyrically on "Cotton Avenue." Probably not as much depth as one might want to assign to the meaning. It may be just a sort of warmup to "Mingus."

yeah Lon I think you are right... after looking at the printed lyrics (very tiny on the cd release) I think I was way off on the meaning of the song