History Music / BlueJoniMitchellAlbum

''Blue'' is an acclaimed album by Canadian singer-songwriter Music/JoniMitchell, released in 1971. It was both a critical and commercial success.

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Nazareth (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, K.D. Lang, Lara Fabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}}, Music/JamesTaylor and even Music/{{Prince}}. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]] It was listed at #30 in the 2012 edition of ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]], with [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime2020 the 2020 edition]] raising it to #3.

The album was [[WriteWhoYouKnow based on her feelings surroundings her break-up with her longtime boyfriend]] [[Music/CrosbyStillsNashAndYoung Graham Nash]] and with Music/JamesTaylor soon afterwards. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen two older songs were removed just before its production: "Urge for Going" and "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)", so that they could be replaced by two newer numbers, "All I Want" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard".

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}}, Music/JamesTaylor and even Music/{{Prince}}. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]] It was listed at #30 in the 2012 edition of ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]], with [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime2020 the 2020 edition]] raising it to #3.

The album was [[WriteWhoYouKnow based on her feelings surroundings her break-up with her longtime boyfriend]] Graham Nash and with Music/JamesTaylor soon afterwards. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen two older songs were removed just before its production: "Urge for Going" and "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)", so that they could be replaced by two newer numbers, "All I Want" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard".

''''

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}}, Music/JamesTaylor and even Music/{{Prince}}. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]] It was listed at #30 in ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].

''''

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}} and even Music/JamesTaylor. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]] It was listed at #30 in ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].

* AlbumTitleDrop: From "All I Want"
--> ''Do you see- do you see- do you see how you hurt me baby''
--> ''So I hurt you too''
--> ''Then we both get so blue.''

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: A large portion of the album dealt with Mitchell's partner break-ups, often in great detail and brutal honesty. The line ''I want to knit you a sweater'' in "All I Want", for instance, was something she used to for Graham Nash. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" is literally an anecdote about her last meeting with Chuck Mitchell, referred to as Richard.

The album was [[WriteWhoYouKnow based on her feelings surroundings her break-up with her longtime boyfriend]] Music/GrahamNash and with Music/JamesTaylor soon afterwards. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen two older songs were removed just before its production: "Urge for Going" and "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)", so that they could be replaced by two newer numbers, "All I Want" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard".

* AntiChristmasSong: "River", despite only mentioning shortly that it's Christmas, has become somewhat of a modern Christmas standard and has been covered often. It actually accounts more as an AntiChristmasSong, though.

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}} and even Music/JamesTaylor. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]] It was listed at nr. #30 in ''Magazine/RollingStone'''s [[UsefulNotes/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].

# "A Case Of You" (4:20)

'''Blue''' is an acclaimed album by Canadian singer-songwriter Music/JoniMitchell, released in 1971. It was both a critical and commercial success.

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}} and even Music/JamesTaylor. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]] It was listed at nr. #30 in Magazine/RollingStone's [[Music/RollingStone500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time]].

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}} and even Music/JamesTaylor. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist. Magazine/TimeMagazine included "Blue" in their [[TimeAllTime100Albums 2006 list of 100 timeless and essential albums.]]

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from "Love Hurts"), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}} and even Music/JamesTaylor. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist.

The album was [[WriteWhoYouKnow based on her feelings surroundings her break-up with her longtime boyfriend]] Music/GrahamNash and with Music/JamesTaylor soon afterwards. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen two older songs were removed just before its production: "Urge for Going" and "Hunter (The Good Samaritan)", so that they could be replaced by two
newer numbers, "All I Want" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard".

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: "Carey" is a "mean old daddy" but Joni think he's "out of sight" anyway.

* ButNowIMustGo: "The Last Time I Saw Richard".

* EverybodyIsSingle:
--> ''We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall keeping us tied and true''- "My Old Man".

* MinimalisticCoverArt: A picture of Joni's face, painted in blue against a blue background.
* OneManSong: "Carey".

--> ''There were lots of pretty people there/ reading "Rolling Stone", reading "Vogue"''

* SpeakOfTheDevil:
--> ''I'm frightened by the devil'' - "A Case Of You".
* WhamLine: From "A Case Of You"
--> I met a woman
--> She had a mouth like yours
--> She knew your life
--> She knew your devils and your deeds
--> And she said
--> "Go to him, stay with him if you can
--> But be prepared to bleed"

''Blue'' is an acclaimed album by Canadian singer-songwriter Music/JoniMitchell, released in 1971. It was both a critical and commercial success.

The album was [[WriteWhoYouKnow based on her feelings surroundings her break-up with her longtime boyfriend]] Music/GrahamNash and with Music/JamesTaylor soon afterwards. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen two older songs were removed just before its production: ''Urge for Going'' and ''Hunter (The Good Samaritan)'', so that they could be replaced by two
newer numbers, ''All I Want'' and ''The Last Time I Saw Richard''.

Songs from ''Blue'' have been [[CoveredUp covered]] by artists as diverse as Music/CyndiLauper, Music/ToriAmos, Music/{{Nazareth}} (yes, those guys from ''Love Hurts''), Music/HerbieHancock, Music/KDLang, Music/LaraFabian, Tom Barman (Music/{{dEUS}}), Music/SarahMclachlan, Music/LindaRonstadt, Music/BlindGuardian, Music/{{Travis}} and even Music/JamesTaylor. It remains one of the most iconic and influential albums of all time, certainly by a female artist.

!! Tropes:

* AlbumTitleDrop: From ''All I Want''

* AntiChristmasSong: ''River'', despite only mentioning shortly that it's Christmas, has become somewhat of a modern Christmas standard and has been covered often. It actually accounts more as an AntiChristmasSong, though.
* BathtubBonding
--> ''I want to talk to you, I want to shampoo you, I want to renew you again and again'' -''All I Want''.
* ButNowIMustGo: ''The Last Time I Saw Richard''.
* ColorMotif: ''Blue'' expresses ''feeling blue''.

* FosterKid: ''Little Green'' is about a daughter Mitchell gave up for adoption in 1965, when she was too poor to financially take care of her. Only in 1993 did the public learn that this story actually happened to her. And for those wondering, mother and child were eventually reunited.

* HomeSweetHome: ''California'': in which Joni travels to several places on Earth and longs to go back to California. ''This Flight Tonight'' expresses her regret as she leaves her lover on a flight and wishes to return.

* OneManSong: ''Carey''.
* ProductPlacement:
--> ''There were lots of pretty people there/ reading "Rolling Stone", reading "Vogue"'' - ''California''.
--> ''He put a quarter in the Wurlitzer and he pushed'' - ''The Last Time I Saw Richard''.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: A large portion of the album dealt with Mitchell's partner break-ups, often in great detail and brutal honesty. The line ''I want to knit you a sweater'' in ''All I Want'', for instance, was something she used to for Graham Nash. ''The Last Time I Saw Richard'' is literally an anecdote about her last meeting with Richard.

** Mitchell provides a shout-out to Music/JohnLennon in the following line from ''California'': ''Sitting in a park in Paris, France. Reading the news and it sure looks bad. They won't give peace a chance.''
** The line ''acid, booze and ass, needles guns and grass, lots of laughs'' from the title track was sampled for a bonus track by Mac Dre on his album ''The Genie of the Lamp'' (2004).
* SpeakOfTheDevil: ''I'm frightened by the devil'' - ''A Case Of You''.
* UnmarriedCouple: ''We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall keeping us tied and true''- ''My Old Man''.
* WhamLine: From ''A Case Of You''

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: The final lines of ''The Last Time I Saw Richard'' describe what happened to Richard since her last meeting with him.