Joni Mitchell 01 Blue (the song)
- Blue songs are like tattoos
- She draws the comparison that “songs are like tattoos” because, songs can, like tattoos, leave traces of moments and feelings on us.
- You know I've been to sea before
Crown and anchor me
Or let me sail away - She knows how life works, she is aware sadness will take over her life, eventually but she is pleading: depression, let me be free for a while.
Hey Blue, here is a song for you
Ink on a pin
Underneath the skin
An empty space to fill in
Well there're so many sinking now- At first the Hippie dream of love seemed just about right, now in reality she realizes that many of those promises were false and people of her generation just want to get high. And in getting high, they are getting lost.
- You've got to keep thinking
You can make it thru these waves
Acid, booze, and ass
Needles, guns, and grass
Lots of laughs lots of laughs
She reflects on her generation's self-destruction through over-indulgence in vices, lamenting their wasted lives. - Everybody's saying that hell's the hippest way to go
Well I don't think so
But I'm gonna take a look around it though
Blue I love you
She concludes with the line "blue, I love you," appreciating how her melancholy fills the void that others try to fill with superficial pleasures. This idea connects to the second verse, where she describes ink filling the space beneath the skin, alluding to the concept of emotional tattoos.
Blue here is a shell for you
Inside you'll hear a sigh
A foggy lullaby
There is your song from me- For her, feeling blue signifies a yearning for the love and connections she once had but now feels distant from.
- Staying Power: The song 'Blue' is part of Joni Mitchell’s album that has the enduring impact of a tattoo and has consistently been named among the greatest albums of all time.
- Double-Edged Recognition: While the recognition places Mitchell and her music in an exalted group, it tends to overshadow her diverse and complex body of work since ‘Blue’.
- Misleading Categorization: 'Blue' is often categorized as ‘folk’ and ‘confessional,’ which Mitchell has disputed, as her music encompasses a range of styles.
- Timeless Beauty: 'Blue' is renowned for its timeless beauty and showcases the depth and brilliance of Mitchell's talent early in her career.
- Metaphorical Opening: The opening lines of 'Blue' can be seen as a metaphor for the range of emotions and experiences in Mitchell's life at that time.
- Personal and Professional Journey: By the time she recorded 'Blue', Mitchell had experienced a rich tapestry of personal and professional milestones, including giving birth, marriage, and divorce.
- Intense Personal Connection: Mitchell’s core audience felt a deep personal connection to her, and her songs created indelible impressions, similar to tattoos.
- Unanchored Heart and Muse: Mitchell's heart and creative muse remained unanchored, and though Graham Nash and fans held deep affection for her, she charted her own solitary course in music.
Comments ()