Joni Mitchell – Think Bensonium

Day 477: Woodstock, Joni Mitchell

Roderick Benson — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 23:00:53 +0000

Well this was a youtube find. This was the first performance of Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock by the artist herself. This was recorded a few weeks after Woodstock in 1969. It never ceases to amaze me how this 3 day rock concert would become such a famous iconic event that would be remembered even in the 21^st century. Tomorrow I shall cite the more well known rendition of Woodstock as performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash

Day 267: Big Yellow taxi, Joni Mitchell

Roderick Benson — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Another classic song from Joni Mitchell. The title of this song comes from this classic lyric:

Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone
They paved paradise, put up a parking lot (Ooh, bop-bop-bop-bop)

And to think when this song was written global warming was not even in our public conscious. Paving paradise seems to be only the start of our problems.

Day 214: Both Sides now, Joni Mitchell

Roderick Benson — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 23:00:00 +0000

I really love this song, the lyrics are so beautiful. The last verse is especially poignant:

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say, “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way
Oh, but now old friends they’re acting strange
And they shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all.