Reviews (page 2 of 13)
This has no place here. It's a recording of a dying woman who, while on her deathbed, is impersonating two dead turtles copulating.
Not my type of music. Chasing high notes randomly for no reason
Turned off at track 6. I am the same age now that Ms. Mitchell was when she recorded this project, and I couldn't feel like I relate less to another human being than I do to her and this album listening to it in this present moment. A bunch of free verse, strummy bullshit with lyrics that sound like they were written by a teenager with their head in the clouds; more aptly a woman with little discretion and even less shame living in a free love fantasy world. Absolute dogshit.
It's just so, so dull.
It sounded like a buncha cats in heat, or a couple of puppies being ran over. I can’t decide which.
I'm sure it sucks but she's against Spotify for political reasons. RIP
Een krijsende kat klinkt nog beter
Just incredible vocals
Soul-wrenching. 5 stars, easily the best and most consistently great album I've listened to yet.
My favorite color.
Toppenplatta
This is not just a great music album. This is one of the great pieces of Western art. She weaves tales of the fallout of the 60’s, she reaches into the soul of women to bring their beautiful contradictions, she writes love songs that are true to their power. She finds new chords and rhythms. I discovered this about 25 years ago and have plunged its depths over and over again. This is an album that cannot be appreciated in one day. I beg you to give it time to breathe and reach you.
A masterpiece
Increíble disco, ahora entiendo porque lo consideran una obra maestra, la calidez, la atmósfera melancólica y tranquila que te da, esa portada intrigante de Joni, y sobre todo todo el increíble trabajo música y lírico hacen a este disco una completa obra maestra
It's Joni Mitchell Blue.
Easy 5. This album is number 3 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and I think that spot is well-deserved. I was quite into this album for a time and I listened to it a lot. I first discovered River during music school and loved it right away. It's such a perfectly melancholic song. I got into the rest of the album in 2022 - I ended up buying it on itunes because she didn't have her music on spotify at the time. It's pretty excellent all the way through. A Case of You is a highlight (and probably Joni's most-loved song) and I also really like The Last Time I Saw Richard. Honestly, I would say I prefer Court & Spark to Blue at this point in my life. I think I'm not as blue as I used to be, which is probably a good thing :)
Something about the way Joni Mitchell sings just inches my brain so well.
Sorry Weezer, this is the Bluest album of all time. Jokes aside, I was looking forward to getting this after I was done with Court and Spark a few weeks ago, I just didn't expect it to be this soon. Luckily even more than with that album, I was blown away with this piece of pure minimalistic musical poetry. It takes a few listens to really have it encapsulate you, but luckily this is short and sweet so after you're done with it, it urges you to spin it again. The instrumentation is beautifully understated; because there's so little of it, every note carries that much more weight. Not that instruments were greatly needed since oh God, this is what happens when a talented singer sings what they *feel*. The lyrics are almost uncomfortably personal, but are just poetic enough that makes them feel both like Mitchell's private thoughts and her public exclamations at the same time. Master class in every element that makes up the album, through and through.
Oh, I mean, goddamn. No choice but to give it a 5/5. It's iconic and heartwrenching. Why even listen, why trod that path?!
Just *chefs kiss*
I'd never heard this before, but I'm now on the third listen. I'm not a fan of "performative" singing. The kind where the singer clearly has talent and uses that to hit every note possible in every song. I find it showy and never adds anything that I find important. Well, I say "never", but again, sometimes I'm wrong. Joni hit's notes that are all over the place. She can go from a near speaking tone to high pitched crooning in the middle of a word. And... I love it. She doesn't sound like she's showing off, she sounds like she's living the words. With seismic shifts in pitch and micro shifts in timbre she can change between urgent, melancholy, excited, angry... And that's not even starting on the lyrics. Incredible. Personal lyrics, sung like we are eavesdropping. Brilliant.
A masterpiece
My initial reaction was, "Joni Mitchell, *again*?" I'm glad I listened though, because now I understand Blue's hype. It's an incredible album. I can see myself listening to it again when I need to relax and unwind on a rainy day.
So good once it clicks.
(7/7) simple and folksy
Her best work
Great singer great songwriter.
Went from Neil Young's Harvest to Joni Mitchell's Blue in back-to-back days which to my ears are the two greatest Canadian albums of all time. It is so personal and intimate in its songwriting, while being as delicate and textured musically as it is poetic lyrically. Not much else to say beyond how great her voice is in this record, such a remarkable listen. 10/10 [KEEP]
this album always manages to put me to sleep, absolutely magical.
Insta-5 for me. And it’s shorter than I remembered, which makes it even more impressive.
joni mitchell has the voice of an angel i know people say that a lot about a lot of singers but its literally true
Jamais écouté avant. Mais que c'est beau ! Je ne sais pas pourquoi je n'avais jamais pris le temps d'écouter cet album, pourtant largement considéré comme un monument. En tout cas, j'avais tort. Là où ses contemporains singers-songwriters, parfois tout aussi talentueux qu'elle, zigzaguent entre textes poétiques et protest songs, Joni Mitchell fait le choix de se mettre à nu, d'écrire un album intimiste, à la limite de l'impudeur, et de sublimer l'infinie tristesse de ses textes par sa richesse vocale hors du commun et par une inventivité mélodique constante. C'est probablement ça, le plus impressionnant : Blue n'est jamais prévisible, jamais là où on l'attend, aucun morceau ne se ressemble... et est pourtant une œuvre cohérente, un album au sens le plus noble du terme, qui prouve que dans le monde de la folk, dépouillement ne rime pas forcément de pair avec simplisme. Époustouflant. Top : California Flop : The Last Time I Saw Richard
I have listened to this previously, and I still love it☺️
Beautiful arrangements and vocals. Some of the best singer-songwriter tracks are on this album. "A Case of You" is a masterpiece.
No notes.
- A top five album for me. Absolutely no skips
Perfect, listened to it so long it bled into another Joni album
Yup very good
It’s Joni Mitchell
Believe the hype.
After this dropped everyone had to sell their dulcimers and switch to acoustic guitars because they knew they could never compete
A classic that lives up to the hype. Probably the benchmark for the “singer-songwriter” genre. Excellent for both background listening and paying attention.
-Really beautiful -Want to relisten I think to fully digest
Охуенно
Прекрасная музыка. Нужно больше фолка
Love this album and glad I have an excuse to relisten today
An easy, obvious, perfect 5. I used to listen to this when I was 17 and nothing had really happened to me yet. I’m now 36 and for some reason I’ve barely spent any time with these songs in the last two decades. What a complete joy it’s been to listen to them again today and to let them hit me all over again and in new ways, now that I’ve lived in the ways I have.
sie ist vielleicht eine rassistin aber eine gute songwriterin nichtsdestotrotz... liebs leider
YAY. I LOVE BLUE SO. MUCH. i cried 3 times like i always do
Masterpiece
A brilliant and difficult album that bucks convention and provides a devastatingly personal view of romance gone wrong. Intimate and powerful in a way few albums have ever been.
Greatest album ever? It’s close.
Not many individual songs that I would revisit, but as an album it’s excellent. It only gets better as the album goes on. Favorite songs: River, the last time I saw Richard
Incredible Album. Joni is my queen.
Genre defining
goat
Ok, so this is a classic. Great songs, great playing (amazing guitars). I'm just struggling a bit with Mitchell's high pitched voice. If not for that, this may reach 5 stars. Overall, great album. I enjoyed "Little Green", "Carey", "California" (I would really love this song if sung with a slightly lower voice), "River" (probably my favourite), "A Case of You", "The Last Time I Saw Richard"... 3 in a row to finish the album. So it's like 4,5 stars, but I will give it 5 stars just because the last song reminded me of Tori Amos.
what a precious song bird...
Blue staat bovenaan in de canon van singer-songwriters. Er zijn slechts een handjevol albums en artiesten die dit kunnen evenaren maar het wordt niet echt beter dan dit. Tekstueel zit het zo goed in elkaar, het is emotioneel slim en soms ook grappig. Zeer persoonlijke verhalen met zware thema's die altijd een bepaalde lichtheid houden en nooit warmte verliezen. Een nummer zoals Little Green over het afstaan van een kind aan adoptie, wat pas dertig jaar later bekend werd, krijgt weer opnieuw betekenis. Ook met het 2000 album waar ze twee oude klassiekers opnieuw zingt als senior met een veranderde stem geeft weer een heel ander perspectief zoals het nummer Both Sides Now (ander eerder album) wat hierdoor in het kwadraat gaat. Het is allemaal zo gelaagd zonder dat het troebel wordt. Ik snap wel dat sommige mensen haar stemgeluid minder prettig vinden maar als je luistert en de tekst meeleest verdwijnt dat helemaal bij mij. Je hoort ook dat ze goede controle over haar stem heeft, juiste noten en een mooie natuurlijke vibrato die ze op latere leeftijd nog steeds beheerst, alleen een heel stuk lager. Ook qua muziek is het boeiend want de muziek volgt de stem in plaats van andersom. De akkoorden vallen soms wat later en zijn er altijd om de tekst meer te ondersteunen. Dit album blijft tijdloos, het zit niet vast in een bepaalde periode. Het bijzondere is dat je met dit album kunt meegroeien en het telkens weer met een ander perspectief kunt beluisteren. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxiluPSmAF8
De allerbeste singer-songwriter die er is. Dit is zo’n album dat ik standaard op mijn telefoon heb staan wanneer ik ga vliegen. Joni Mitchell brengt melancholie, vertelt de mooiste verhalen en weet me iedere keer weer te raken en te ontroeren wanneer ik hiernaar luister. Hoogtepunt van het album is voor mij toch wel A Case of You. Misschien wel één van de mooiste songs ooit geschreven. Wat betreft haar hoge stem snap ik wel dat het net je smaak moet zijn, een beetje een koriander-gevalletje. Je vindt het prachtig of je trekt het totaal niet. Ik vind het in ieder geval erg mooi.
Like this one so mind changing Rating:92
Aha, an album I may have rated lower when I was a younger lad, but appreciate more now.
Joni's voice is simply angelic, and her lyrics offer a window into a particular point in her life, painting vivid images of heartbreak and melancholy alike. The instrumentation is so smooth, providing the perfect backdrop to some already excellent compositions, and I found myself enchanted by the whole thing. Definitely adding this to my rotation. Favourite track: Carey Least favourite track: This Flight Tonight
Great talent and tunes, thx!
blissfully simple
gorgeous - 5 for Case of You
absolute songwriting masterclass, this is a beautiful album that doesn’t waste a second, so concise and it just does what it needs to
Whilst this isn't my personal favourite Joni Mitchell album, this is still a beautiful and emotive album that captured your heart in such a profound way. I prefer Mitchell in her later years as both her voice and themes feel more in-depth and deeply personal. But this is not to say she completely lacks that here. The tracks are gorgeous and her voice flutters with a lovely intonation. It's hard to find a fault with this, so many highlights. She is truly a generational talent. Fav track: California
Perfect.
Love songs and personal stories shot through with heartbreak but never self-pity. Beautiful melodies and surprising, ambitious song structures. Mitchell’s obvious opus that lives up to its reputation. She’s got a voice that grips me by the throat and throttles me (I mean this positively.) All of these songs sound like they’ve existed forever.
la última vez que enlisté mis discos favoritos este lo puse en segundo lugar, con eso les digo todo. pero en esta escucha me enfoqué en la secuenciación y caí en cuenta de la casi simetría que tiene el disco. joni se acompaña de 3 instrumentos diferentes: piano, dulcimer y guitarra. cada lado tiene cinco canciones y en cada uno vienen dos canciones para dulcimer, dos para piano y una para guitarra. cada lado empieza con una canción alegre para dulcimer y cierra con una balada libre y azotada para piano. las otras tres por lado, una para cada instrumento, ahí sí cambian un poco de orden y de caracter. lo que sí es que la segunda cara tiene más canciones tristes
This is a great album of music that are not just folk songs. Great song writer with complex chords and good lyrics. I generally don't like high voices but once you adjust it's nice. Listened a second time and appreciate it more.
it’s blue
Enough has been said about this album that I have nothing to contribute. It’s not my favorite Joni, but it’s still perfect.
I had a partner who used 'All I Want' as an alarm for most of the decade we were together. That didn't manage to ruin this song and probably summarizes the durability of Joni Mitchell's music. Joni Mitchell was an inventive and talented songwriter, a beautiful and unique singer and a very creative guitar player, who turned a weakness due to surviving polio into wide and productive use of interesting tunings of her instrument. Few people sound all that much like Joni and, when they do, it's invariably a compliment. This may be her most radio-friendly and accessible record. There aren't many stronger 5/5 ratings than this. Just go listen to all the varied covers that this album spawned to get a sense of how resilient and enduring her songs are. Timeless. Near-perfect.
A beautiful, brilliant folk album
Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” is simply beautiful. It’s really easy to see why this album is held in such high regard in the genre and music in general. 10 stunning tracks back to back. Her lyricism is genuinely some of the most gorgeous, nuanced and metaphorical and human poetry. I love Joni’s vocals too, they sound gorgeous over the really nice folk instrumentals and alongside the great songwriting. This is the first Joni Mitchell album I’ve heard and I’d be more than happy to get to know her discography and see what else is in store.
13/05/26 nossa mas esse eu tô com a expectativa lá em cima hein pela capa dá a impressão de ser meio yearner melancólico, joni mitchell por favor seja a lenda que falam que você é e faça com que esse projeto de fato seja o que falam que nem eu fiz com the stranger, "não me decepcione" caralho que voz e que música (se passaram 40 seg) a sensibilidade nessa voz... que lindo. irmão que melodia vocal insana é essa que coisa tocante nossa um comentário aqui me revoltou; se poesia e música (e poesia na música) fosse sobre rimar, o trap seria o melhor gênero do universo (e nem os pioneiros do antecessor fazem isso, tipo racionais) a galera tem que parar de rotular a música, no fim ela é sobre apreciar a expressão do outro, e você escolhe qual jeito de expressão você gosta de apreciar - não é sobre falar que o outro é poesia de merda, você simplesmente não gosta do jeito que ele expressa essa poesia, e isso não quer dizer que ela é uma merda porque ela não é do jeito que você gosta e sim, isso é em parte uma autocrítica voltando my old man é lindo pra caralho tbm esse piano quebra tudo no meio a voz dela acompanha tudo muito bem até agora, mas nessa ficou claro little green... n tem como não se acalmar ou não despertar alguma emoção mais subjetiva ouvindo isso (ouvindo, não escutando) e mais, eu tenho certeza que a poesia dela tem algum significado, só não é claro quando algum mano faz poesia implícita parecendo falar nada com nada (ou até falando mesmo) todo mundo concordava que eles eram gênios né? machismo estrutural é foda pra yeezus foi nota 5 né? arrombado (desculpa ficou pessoal) carey tem uma pegada mais descontraída, e a voz dela continua combinando com tudo pqp essa mulher faz mágica com a melodia, a voz dela carrega esse violão e esse baixo sem muita dificuldade e eu ainda não cheguei nas mais famosas hein caralho blue só dela falando bluuuuuUUUuuuuue já me pegou piano e voz é a minha queda considerável na música tão bom ter aumentado minha expectativa aqui e ela ainda assim ter sido ultrapassada essa melodia de quando ela destaca california solo atinge o meu interior de forma física, que sensação louca segunda vez que esse tipo de sensação vem em uma música, a primeira e única tinha sido com o jeff buckley que violão gostoso this flight toinght tem uma guitarra que dura 10seg e isso é sensacional river é o piano mais gostoso do álbum até agora, e o nível do piano aqui é alto (digo com propriedade pq eu toco e tenho familiaridade com o instrumento, tem virutosidade e qualidade. o violão deve enquadrar tbm, eu só n manjo desses aspectos dele ent n irei opinar) tem um brilha brilha estrelinha meio acordes melódicos no final da música, detalhe foda, provavelmente n intencional e que combinou para caramba cheguei na mais reproduzida e todas para mim até agora foram nota 10 mas que violão simples e foda, memorabilíssimo a voz dela se repete, mas não cansa. ela preserva elementos e sabe usar de forma fluída que mulher genial - a case of you é tipo o trabalho de uma vida, se demora décadas para achar algo dessa qualidade the last time i saw richard sumariza mto bem tudo o que foi dito, principlamente sobre a qualidade do piano isso é o literal significado de "música para sentir" simplesmente zero skips. só músicas 10/10. e o primeiro álbum que eu decido que é um dos melhores que eu já ouvi em tempo recorde o folk normalmente é um gênero que não sai do mesmo (entendo até por isso ele não ser tão gostado), mas a voz da joni é diferente de qualquer coisa que eu já tenha ouvido, principalmente dentro desse gênero. ela (na voz e nos instrumentos) também explora perfeitamente uma sonoridade fechada, concisa e definida; os instrumentais, embora tenham a mesma vibe, não parecem uma única coisa que se repete. o poder melódico dela em instrumentais relativamente básicos como apenas piano, ou apenas violão e baixo, é incomparável. a lírica da Joni é poética de um jeito que parece um musical, e um desabafo meio contido, as vezes se excedendo, mas sempre voltando a contenção. e, como um dos álbuns que vai ficar para minha vida e uma das melhores descobertas dessa lista, um óbvio 10/10 / 5/5
Mind blowingly brilliant.
Blue hurts me to listen to sometimes. It's one of the most vulnerable collections of song and voice ever put to tape, and the fact that she wrote a lot of these songs about artists that I've spent a good portion of my musical life getting to know adds an extra ounce of weight to it. This doesn't just feel like an ordinary record, and that's what makes it special to me. This is an aural diary, a journal of sorts that Joni is letting the world read pages from. Her voice makes me cry especially on this record, with how she sweeps from soft and sweet to sharp and strong in a handful of motions. I'm glad this record exists and I'm glad it's done so much for women in music. Hard to examine this record without its historical context I think.
🥞
Incredible record
Yes, her military brat upbringing meant that her formative gigs were in Saskatoon, of all places, and by 20, like so many ambitious young Prairie folk, had uprooted herself to Toronto in search of fame and fortune and all the things that come with being in Centre of the Universe. But I still, as a Calgarian, feel a sense of pride in Mitchell as the greatest artist ever to emerge from this suffocating city. She was born in Fort Macleod, 100 kilometres down the highway from the High River hospital where my grandfather for years delivered babies. She attended the Alberta College of Art, the same school where my wife earned her BFA. I'm sure Saskatoon and Laurel Canyon would like to to claim her as their own. But there is no one I'd more want to be from Calgary. Oh, Canada, with your face sketched on twice. Mitchell's compositions are singular, thanks in large part to her singular history, as a polio survivor whose weakened arm led her to alternate, less demanding guitar tunings; necessity, as always, the mother of invention. A song like Carey is so strange, and so beautiful in its strangeness. And her lyricism, a jumpy stream of consciousness, flits toward profundity in a way that disarms completely. I get the impression that Mitchell was, or is, someone who feels things in a very big way. The Last Time I Saw Richard, the album's best song, looks back at a memory that's three years old, a lifetime at age 25. She aches, at 28, as I do at 29, and as I'm sure I will listening to this at 40, and 50, and 80.
p244. 1971. 4 .5 stars. One of the great singer-songwriters on absolute top form. Gorgeous voice, great songs, and aching lyrics. Short and sweet, a bit like Joni :) Half a point docked for filler and the occasional stray into whimsy, but otherwise this is fine.
Dios el álbum que me dio las ganas de vivir
One of the great all-time albums.
Never heard of her - damn this is good!
joni mitchell's voice is beautiful and the music lasts really nice. feels liek you're hangin out with her.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this album hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve never really listened to Joni Mitchell, but this record really made me feel something. The lyrics are consistently clever as they cut deep — finding new space in the simplest emotions. Her voice can be playful, sweet, and somber… sometimes all in the same song. I love the way her voice wavers when she holds a note. I also love how often the songs hit a slightly different note than I expected. I felt unexpected tears during “My Old Man” and they came around several more times before the album was done. River and A Case Of You might be my favorite pairing first time through. It’s an album that made me stop what I was doing and just listen. It’s rare for an album to hit me so hard on first play but I’m so glad I was ready to hear this… and that I was privileged enough for it to happen.
10/10 This was an easy one to rate. To my ears, this is one of the finest albums ever recorded and it's one that is never far from being back on my speakers. I've listened to it hundreds of times before and it's still magical to hear. But what makes it so special? Joni has always been somewhat experimental with her music, with her generally folk rock aesthetic pulling in influence from jazz and classical music. She messed around with uncommon tunings and was always striving to do something unique and fresh with her work. This resulted in a lot of great music, but Blue was the moment where everything converged into something remarkable. There's something incredibly open and vulnerable about this record, but it never shies away or hides the personal nature of the work. It also feels so free-flowing and spontaneous in a way that not many other artists pull off. Her melodies flow, spread out and then pull back in in a way that has a beautiful roaming quality, but they pull off the magic trick of never losing the thread of the song, always feeling centred and purposeful, even in their most drifting moments. Her lyrics are delightful and she is able to present emotion in such an affecting way with that combination of poetic lyricism and stunning melody. She also deals incredibly well with dynamic, sometimes pulling back to the subtlest of tones and arrangements, before soaring into a powerful and full bodied swathe of emotion. It's really glorious stuff. She's also incredibly careful to balance her orchestration. There's not a lot of instrumentation on this record, but when it's used, it all feels impactful and significant, enhancing the purpose of the music, rather than just bulking it out for no reason. The resultant ebb and flow creates this evolving, shifting wash of songs that takes you on a delightful journey through the mind of Joni Mitchell. There's not a stray note on this record at all and with each song, there's something that grabs hold of you and won't let go. I could ramble on about this record for ever, but it's probably just time to give it another spin. All I Want - Joni's melodies are free flowing and beautiful. This is a hell of an opener and showcases that fine skill of musically roaming while retaining a connection to the central motifs and themes of a song while always keeping things fresh. It's got superb dynamic range and she pushes and pulls the intensity of both her vocal and guitar playing so well. My Old Man - I find the routes that Joni takes to be endlessly beguiling. Many of the chord changes and melodic transitions on this song are quite out of the ordinary, but it all feels so natural and fluid. But again, she keeps a thread tied to the song's centre beautifully. She's so expressive with her delivery both as a singer and a player too. Little Green - This is so delicate to begin with, but she uses dynamic brilliantly and has so much control at every level of power in her vocal. This is just restrained, fairly sparse, but utterly beautiful. Carey - And now we're on to something with a bit more zip. The rhythms of her lyrics over her strumming and picking patterns are absolutely delicious, particularly with the cadences of her melodies supported by some perfectly balanced backing vocals. She uses a very different approach to her vocal delivery by the end and showcases an even wider range. Brilliant. Blue - The ebb and flow of the tempo on this track is excellent. Joni at her best has such an emotive way of performing and while this is less of a melodically centred track, it just presents that emotion in such a raw and fluent way that it offers something different but equally special. California - Again, things pick up a little pace wise now. I really love the rhythmic delivery of the vocal against the groove of the guitar part and the extra orchestration adds depth and an interesting twist to the tone. There are some melodic moments in this song, little trills and runs that give me goosebumps every single time, and I've listened to this album hundreds of times. It's just so pretty, melodically fluid and rhythmically interesting. This Flight Tonight - More great grooves, more soaring melodies, more moments of beautifully balanced dynamism. Again, some of those high trills are so pretty and also feel incredibly spontaneous. The lilt of the groove here is incredibly engaging and fun too. River - This is an achingly beautiful song. My first choice for any Christmas playlist. The subtlety of the playing and singing is superb, the dynamic control is excellent, and the rhythmic choices of the lyrical flow are incredibly engaging. And those melodies. Wow. A Case Of You - Straight on to another special, special track. This is an utterly stunning song. The free flowing melodies are incredibly beautiful, her lyrics are exquisitely poetic. It's deft and subtle, but it's all delivered with such an open, exposed style. While there's band work on this track, it does the bare minimum to support Joni and is all the stronger for it. The Last Time I Saw Richard - The roaming vocals on this track perhaps stray a little towards the edge, but just about stay within bounds. It's a more meandering song, but it continues on with that ebb and flow of power to her performance that evokes so much feeling, and it's kind of nice to end on a song that feels so free flowing and slightly less focused, just to give a bit more of a jazzy melodic bent to the final breaths of the record.
Maravilhoso!
The arrangements are minimal, but not empty. Space is used like an instrument, letting dynamics and phrasing carry the emotional weight instead of production tricks. And the vocal delivery technically controlled but emotionally exposed sits right on top of that, tying everything together.
## Overview Released on June 22, 1971, *Blue* represents the crystallization of Joni Mitchell's artistic vision—a raw, unguarded masterpiece that redefined the singer-songwriter genre. Recorded during a period of intense personal upheaval following travels through Europe and the end of her relationship with Graham Nash, the album captures Mitchell at her most vulnerable. She described the experience as feeling like "a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes," with "absolutely no secrets from the world" . --- ## Lyrics: Confessional Poetry in Song Mitchell's lyricism on *Blue* operates at the intersection of personal diary and universal poetry. The album opens with the restless manifesto of "All I Want": *"I am on a lonely road and I am traveling/Looking for something, what can it be"*—immediately establishing the album's nomadic, searching spirit . The lyrics reject conventional resolution. As one critic noted, Mitchell's lines "run on, or end abruptly; they slip from heavy metaphor to plain talk," exposing "the erratic essence of emotional experience" . This technique creates what feels like real-time emotional processing rather than polished retrospective. Several songs carry specific biographical weight: - **"My Old Man"** addresses her relationship with Graham Nash with disarming domestic imagery (*"The bed's too big, the frying pan's too wide"*) - **"Little Green"** (written years earlier but included here) addresses the daughter she gave up for adoption in 1965—its cryptic references baffled critics until Mitchell revealed its meaning in 1997 - **"A Case of You"** is widely understood to reference Leonard Cohen and/or James Taylor, using the metaphor of holy wine to describe love's intoxicating, sacramental quality **"River"** stands as the album's emotional centerpiece—a Christmas-themed meditation on regret that has paradoxically become a holiday standard. Mitchell described it as "taking personal responsibility for the failure of a relationship" . The famous line *"I wish I had a river I could skate away on"* combines the childhood memory of practicing polio recovery exercises under Christmas lights with adult longing for escape . --- ## Music & Production: Intimate Minimalism ### Instrumentation Mitchell made the radical decision to set aside her guitar for much of the album, instead embracing the **Appalachian dulcimer**—an instrument she discovered at the 1969 Big Sur Folk Festival. She adapted it to her own style, beating it like a bongo rather than using traditional quill-picking . The dulcimer's delicate, percussive tone opens the album on "All I Want" and appears on "Carey" and "A Case of You," creating a sonic signature that distinguishes *Blue* from her earlier work. The album features sparse, sympathetic accompaniment from: - **James Taylor** (guitar on three tracks) - **Stephen Stills** (bass) - **Russ Kunkel** (drums) - **Sneaky Pete Kleinow** (pedal steel) ### Production Approach Mitchell produced the album herself with engineer Henry Lewy, who had worked on her previous records. Lewy described his role as that of "an engineer who cares and who listens" rather than a traditional producer . The production philosophy prioritized capturing spontaneous, unguarded performances. James Taylor compared Mitchell's approach to "a Japanese calligrapher" working with deliberate limitations—the dulcimer's restricted range became something to "push against, to push off" . This minimalism creates space for the lyrics and vocals to dominate, with arrangements that support without obscuring. ### Musical Structure Mitchell employed **polymodal composition**, moving between scales within songs to allow "seemingly oppositional tones and moods" to coexist . The melodies often subvert expectations: "River" transforms "Jingle Bells" into a melancholic minor-key meditation, while "Carey" balances calypso exuberance with underlying restlessness (*"it's really not my home"*). "California" incorporates tango influences in its chorus, with pedal steel adding plaintive texture . --- ## Themes: The Architecture of Longing ### The Color Blue The album's title functions as a multifaceted symbol evolving across the tracklist—from sadness to fear of abandonment to spiritual seeking. Academic analysis notes that six of ten songs explicitly reference "the blues" or the color blue, with the remaining songs incorporating subsidiary colors (red, black, white, green) . The penultimate track, "A Case of You," culminates this motif with *"I live in a box of paints"*—suggesting both artistic creation and confinement. ### Love as Religious Quest The album treats romantic love with spiritual intensity. In "A Case of You," love becomes communion (*"holy wine"*); in "All I Want," it approaches obsession (*"I want to shampoo you/I want to renew you again and again"*). This sacred framing makes heartbreak feel like crisis of faith rather than mere disappointment . ### The Impossibility of Escape Throughout *Blue*, Mitchell's protagonist attempts various forms of flight—planes, skates, sails, wings—yet remains trapped in emotional patterns. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" closes the album with cynical resignation: *"All good dreamers pass this way some day/Hidin' behind bottles in dark cafes"* . The song's descending melodic line musically enacts the downward spiral its lyrics describe . ### Freedom vs. Connection The tension between Mitchell's fierce independence and her desire for lasting love drives the narrative. "This Flight Tonight" captures the regret of walking away; "Carey" celebrates fleeting connection while acknowledging impermanence. The album documents what one critic called "the chronicle of Joni, a free lance romantic, searching for a permanent love" . --- ## Influence & Legacy ### Immediate Impact Despite initial commercial success (#15 US, #3 UK), *Blue*'s rawness disturbed some contemporaries. Kris Kristofferson urged Mitchell to "leave something of yourself" . Male singer-songwriters reportedly responded with anxiety—"Is this contagious? Do we all have to get this honest now?" . ### Critical Recognition *Blue* has achieved canonical status: - **#3 on Rolling Stone's 2020 "500 Greatest Albums of All Time"** - Named one of 25 albums representing "turning points and pinnacles in 20th century popular music" by *The New York Times* (2000) - David Crosby: "For me, *Blue* is the best singer-songwriter album... She was so brilliant as a songwriter, it crushed me" ### Artistic Influence The album established the template for confessional singer-songwriting that influenced generations: - **Prince, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift** among declared admirers - Direct lineage to 2021 releases by **Billie Eilish, Julien Baker, SZA** - Enabled the shift toward emotional transparency in popular music—"after that record, everything changed as far as artists opening a little more of themselves to listeners" Mitchell herself viewed *Blue* as a turning point: "By the time of my fourth album, I came to another turning point—that terrible opportunity that people are given in their lives. The day that they discover to the tips of their toes that they're assholes... *Blue* really was a turning point in a lot of ways" . --- ## Pros & Cons ### **Strengths** | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Emotional Authenticity** | Unprecedented vulnerability; Mitchell described it as "probably the purest emotional record that I will ever make in my life" | | **Lyrical Innovation** | Transformed pop songwriting into literary art—poetry that "swim around in your heart" | | **Musical Evolution** | Dulcimer introduction expanded sonic palette; polymodal composition created emotional complexity | | **Production Restraint** | Minimal arrangements serve the songs; Henry Lewy's engineering captures intimacy without intrusion | | **Thematic Cohesion** | The "blue" motif unifies diverse emotional states into conceptual whole | | **Universal Resonance** | Despite specific biographical references, themes of love, loss, and longing transcend personal narrative | | **Influence** | Redefined the possibilities of singer-songwriter genre; template for confessional art | ### **Weaknesses** | Aspect | Assessment | |--------|------------| | **Emotional Intensity** | The unrelenting vulnerability can overwhelm; some listeners find it "too personal" or emotionally exhausting | | **Vocal Demands** | Mitchell's high soprano and wide vibrato occasionally strain or alienate listeners unprepared for her range | | **Occasional Crypticism** | "Little Green" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard" contain references so personal they resist comprehension without biographical context | | **Piano Composition** | "River's" intro has been criticized as approaching "parody of Laura Nyro" with its melodramatic minor-key "Jingle Bells" | | **Limited Sonic Variety** | The sparse, acoustic-focused production may feel monochromatic to listeners seeking dynamic range | | **Gendered Reception** | Some male critics initially dismissed its emotional openness; the "confessional" label has sometimes been used to diminish its artistic construction | --- ## Conclusion *Blue* stands as one of the most fully realized artistic statements in popular music history. It succeeds not despite its rawness but because of the discipline Mitchell brought to channeling that rawness into form. The album demonstrates that extreme personal disclosure, when executed with craft, becomes universal—Mitchell's specific heartbreaks illuminate the architecture of longing itself. The album's greatness lies in its paradoxes: it is meticulously constructed to feel spontaneous; it uses limitation (the dulcimer's range, minimal production) to achieve freedom; it documents the impossibility of escape while itself providing cathartic release. Fifty years later, it remains essential listening not merely as historical document but as living art—music that continues to reveal new depths with each encounter. **Essential Tracks:** "A Case of You," "River," "California," "All I Want," "Carey" **Rating:** Masterpiece—a defining document of the singer-songwriter form and one of the most emotionally profound albums ever recorded.
I really loved this album start to finish.
i could live in this album i could wear it to school i could walk on it i could wrap myself in it in front of a campfire i could sleep in it for eternity
Just pure talent. Probably one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to ever. Such amazing visual storytelling with just words. Pure talent with amazing execution
beautiful
Beautiful start to finish. Little green is probably my favourite at the moment but it changes all the time. I never really used to like The last time i saw Richard before but this time i listened to it and I think it's maybe the best on the album. It's in the way she speaks so honestly and really gets you to live in her story, I found myself wishing that Joni finds what she is looking for in California and gets out of that dark cafe. That is her power!
I fully understand why this is some people’s entire bag. It’s great song writing, it’s well done, she sings so well. I’m not going to add this to any playlist or anything but it’s so good, I get it. Deserving of all the praise.
When to listen: Literally anytime. All the time. So many wonderful songs on this album, Joni Mitchell has the voice of an angel, her lyrics tear your heart out and sew it back in again. Love <3
V good
5 stars duh
Of course I heard this was a classic but Id never listened to it. Loved it. Somtimes her high notes felt pretty shrill to be but nevertheless--5
Whenever you think nothing new can be expressed in song form, go back to this one.
4.4
if you don't rate this 5 stars prince will rise from the grave to spit on your shoes
This album is really hard for me to go back to. It’s definitely a 5 star masterpiece, but my ex used to sing many of these songs to me in various places and times and it truly crushes me to hear them… to listen to this whole album is something I do rarely because I know it’ll take me back in a truly bittersweet heartbreaking memories of full hearted loving. Goddamnit Joni… I guess I couldn’t drink a case of you and still be on my feet.
Can't argue with Blue! This is a classic for a reason.
a really beautiful album
jjaaa mijn vrouwtje!! wel minst leuke album hoor
*Woman Dylan All I want Little green California
i love it
genuinely loved this album so much, on repeat since
“Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine Oh, you taste so bitter and so sweet I could drink a case of you I could drink a case of you, darling Still I'd be on my feet” One of many masterpieces that make up Joni Mitchell’s discography. Pretty much every song on here is a favourite of mine but I think if I had to I would narrow it down to “California” and “A Case Of You”. “Blue” is a perfect storm of what makes Joni Mitchell one of the greatest songwriters in popular music from her exceptional and unique vocals to her exemplary guitar playing.
a divota, šta da kažem... mislio sam da će bit četvorka, al zadnje dvije pjesme... još jedan album za kategoriju "V. ti je rekla i nikako da preslušaš, sada je prekasno", još jedan razlog za...
Great!!
Stunning yet devastating. Loved it
I’ve been meaning to listen to this for years and it did not disappoint! Absolutely incredible stuff
A phenomenal piece of work. 5/5. If I could give more, I would give more.
love
Maybe her third or fourth best album and a total masterpiece.
Just part of that miracle Joni run where all she's doing is churning out perfection like only she can. This isn't even one of my favorite albums of that stretch but it would be extremely stupid of me to like this album as much as I do and rate it lower than 5.
Just the best ever. Just. The. Best. Ever.
Perfect, need I say more?!
I’ve heard this one before. Absolutely quintessential. She has the kind of voice that can bring tears to your eyes in two notes. Such a lovely album. All the songs are so well written and filled with such emotion. I love all the instrumentals, god, just a good album.
Of Joni this is my favorite (but really not sure we needed 4). The only real criticism I have is that sometimes she rushes her lyrics because she wants to get so much in a song and it takes me a little out of the flow of her songs. But that's not all bad because i don't fall into a musical trance where I zone out. But overall it is really great, her voice is really beautiful in such a different way. Case of You is absolutely beautiful. I also love how she can have such a mature outlook on the world, but still get sucked into insecurities and heartbreak that we often consider so juvenile. Her reflection of the female experience is so normal and real that I can see why so many woman connect to her. It is also so sad in a way, River for example, is she really selfish and hard to handle or just not the picture of a perfect woman who didn't question a man at all? I feel like she is probably just a normal strong independent woman that the world and men took issue with because she didn't just smile and stay quiet and was gas lite to make her feel like there was something wrong with her. Joni girl, pour that heart out and remember it is not you at all, you are perfect :)
How colour blue tastes
Generational talent. Everything that’s been said about her has been said before, everything about this album is so wonderful. Case of You just spectacular
I adore this album. This, like many others, was my first Joni Mitchell album and it does not disappoint at all. Little Green, California, This Flight Tonight, A Case of You, are just joys to listen to. In general slower songs do not always entice me, but My Old Man, River, and Blue do not make me wanna fall asleep or skip. Joni has said this was her first album where she genuinely felt like she had let down her guard, absolute vulnerability, and these particular slower songs are I believe the best window into this sensuality. I love this album, it's always a pleasure to re-listen to this, and I think I will be listening to it a couple more times as of recent.
This is something entirely new to me. Listening to this album gave me the impression of hearing music for the first time, as if it were a new, undiscovered phenomenon. Each song is so touching and leaves its mark on my heart. The lyrics have become a mystery I can't quite solve yet, which makes me want to listen to them over and over again. The performance and style are completely unique to me. Joni Mitchell’s music and voice create an extraordinary harmony.
Very very good
Love this duh
This was my mother’s favorite album. I knew she loved Joni Mitchell and that we listened to her a lot in our house. But I didn’t know this was THE album until I heard the first few notes of the opening song. Then countless evenings of hanging out with my parents after dinner while they drank toddies and listened to this album flooded back from my memory. I began weeping and didn’t stop until the album was done. I cannot express the singularity of moment that I experienced driving into the winter sunset listening to River, my mom’s favorite song from this album, while sobbing, form missing her, from missing that time, the simplicity, the joy, the sorrow. It was everything. I will never forget this album.
I mean is anyone actually surprised that I loved this album? I was halfway raised on like Ani Difranco and Sufjan Stevens, two artists who obviously found this album very impactful. Either way though Joni absolutely came through with some beautiful music here. There's not a bad song, and every single one individual feels like the basis for someone to start their own musical career. The songwriting is probably the platonic ideal for 1970s singer-songwriter material, like this and like on the beach really do come the closest from most anything from that decade to transcending the time period they were created in. Overall, I really really enjoyed every single song, especially All I Want, My Old Man, Carey, California, This Flight Tonight, River, and The Last Time I Saw Richard (though every song here is a clear favorite off of the album). I love the folk pop touch Mitchell adds across this whole project, it really gives it both a sense of heightened variety, but also a lot of sustained consistency. Mitchell's voice is also outright beautiful, and while that's not necessarily something that always matters (just look at the 10/10 rating I gave to Elizabeth Cotten's "Freight Train and Other Folksongs," which for all of its endless merit and influence, doesn't necessarily have the most beautiful vocals), it absolutely contributes to the atmosphere here, in the same way that something like some of Joan Baez's early works might lend to. The difference between a classic Baez recording and this is that this has better lyrics, more dynamic playing, and is just significantly more interesting than, say, the original "Joan Baez" from 1960, due to the variety in the musicality, lyrics, and instruments used. Overall this album does a pretty awesome job in proving that it is worth listening to!! It's a near-perfect album and I definitely will be listening again. 9.5/10
10/10
Delicado y melancólico. Nunca lo había escuchado completo, no sé por qué. Se nota la influencia que ha tenido sobre muchos artistas hasta la fecha.
I didn't appreciate Mitchell until close to midlife, and then it was like opening a door I'd never noticed was there. Her work is incredible; the high soprano sometimes grates, but this is the last album where she uses that range frequently. If you're into guitar, her work with open tunings here is beyond compare. If you're into songcraft and poetry, there is no one like her.
9/10
A heartbreaking masterpiece. So simple yet so effective in its arrangement, Joni Mitchell’s stunning voice paints pictures with her poetry. The listener almost feels voyeuristic as she pours her heart out for all to hear, and may even shed a tear or two. I’d never listened to this album before, but I will certainly be revisiting it when I get the blues. 10/10
oh YES all i want carey my little green god, this album was SO GOOD
River!!
hermoso. increíble como no se guarda nada de lo que está sintiendo y la forma que encuentra para expresarse. "Carey", "California" y "This Flight Tonight" mis favoritas. "He gave me back my smile, but he kept my camera to sell"
So good. Love her honesty in her lyrics.
Absolutely amazing album. I could feel myself transforming into a Joni fanatic listening to this. Every song is a powerhouse performance. Unbelievably unique song craft. 1 of 1.
Mr. President, a second 5 in a row has hit the building. Best songs are Blue and River.
Absolute ground breaking classic album. A statement of the time. Lead by California, All I Want, Carey and River. Solid 5.0
An all-time masterpiece.
beautiful! it seems that is the first album generated with woman vocal. probably i will not relisten this, just bcz it's not my temperament and it's reason why i can't give 5*, I'd gave 4,5*. it's rlly good and meow
One of the few times in history that the critics all agree and actually get it right. Pure poetry
Longtime fave, no notes
One of my faves. Takes me back to driving around Erie in my Chrysler Concorde, being a 90s hippie.
Feb 12, 2026 - remind me to purchase this on vinyl thank u
Feels like every ballad anyone sings is just trying to be half as good as River. California also great
Perfection. All time fav.
I fell in love with Joni Mitchell’s music in high school so of course I adore this album, the culmination of her early folk phase. It’s spare, sublime, poetic, assured and emotionally resonant, and it set a high bar for confessional singer-songwriters to follow.
Great album
The most sincere confessional pop album. Beautiful and I believe every word and emotion fully.
Probably the best album I've ever heard
Fantastic album love the Joni 💗
This is so obviously her best work the writing is perfect the guitar is excellent its so emotional and nostalgic
Favorite track(s): Joni herself said there's not a dishonest note on this whole album. A rare and astounding feat.
blue bird drug
An absolute classic, and an easy score to give. Effortless songwriting, immaculate production, and a beautiful vocal performance from Mitchell.
I rated Court and Spark as 4 star, so this has to be 5.
What to say. An incredibly beautiful album that fully deserves its place as one of the best ever. It's been in my collection for 45 years and becomes more meaningful every time I listen. Coldplay, take note.
I don’t even know what to say. Blue is a timeless classic that never fails or gets old. The lyrics are pure poetry, and the music is just so beautiful and amazing. And Joni, she really can sing. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this one.
Blue by Joni Mitchell is an album full of many personal and deeply emotional stories matched with one of the most beautiful voices I've heard. This album is nothing short of perfect and the songs are timeless classics that will never fail to bring me close to tears.
Joni Mitchell delivers one of the most compelling contemporary folk albums of all time with Blue, a series of tender emotional ballads delivered using a small instrumental palette and Joni's enchanting voice. Every song is just so special.
A stone cold classic - not much else to say, really.
Beautiful album. Joni's voice conveys so much emotion. California and Carey are great. River is one of my favourite Christmas songs, like top 5, for sure.
This is great and I’m not sure why I’ve never listened to this all the way through.
Wonderful album. Favorite songs: California, This Flight Tonight
I have negative associations with this record from my youth. In my mind, it’s something overly dramatic people listen to while sipping red wine, looking wistfully out a window, and sighing sadly every ten seconds to try to get you to pay attention to their FEELINGS. So it took me by surprise, twenty years since I last heard it, how much I loved it. Stunningly beautiful. The first few tracks didn’t quite grab me, but from “Carey” onward I was captivated. I get it now! Look forward to hearing more Joni Mitchell.
21/01/2025 *1. all i want - really excited for this album. immediately love the guitar. very intricate! love her voice <3 the lyrics are great!!! 2. my old man - piano now.... lovelvoelove the bridge. reallllly lovely :) *3. little green - loving the guitar immediately, realllllly moving. *4. carey - love the backing vocals. bass is great!!! chorus is fantastic!!!! 5. blue - piano again! very vulnerable.... :( 6. california - really liking the mix of guitar and piano songs. love how rhythmically and emotionally she sings.... her voice is phenomenal..... slide guitar!!! *7. this flight tonight - guitar reminds me of nick drake. realllllly loving it!!!!! oooooooooo just got to part where the audio changes!!!!!!??? crazy!!!!! 8. river - jingle bells??? lyrics just started, added to christmas mix :) 9. a case of you - fantastic voice!!!! phenomenal lyrics!!! great guitar!!!!! 10. the last time i saw richard - lovely piano.... great!!!!!!! completely loved this album. was really looking forward to it because i only really know coyote and it's one of my favourite songs, so have been meaning to listen to more joni mitchell. every single song was completely fantastic, generally liked the guitar ones more than the piano ones, but they are all absolutely phenomenal!! <3
Magnificent. An easy five.
Feels alternately like being pulled underwater and breaking the surface with gasping breaths.
Jesus, I forgot how much I like this album. JM is as distinctive as they come. I’m not on board with everything, but this one I am all in.
Joo. Kylhän tässä sillai tavotetaan varmaan jotain semmottiis mitä muut ei oo osanneet toteuttaa tai hokanneet. Pelkistettyä taustaa, mutta silti monipuolista äänimaisemaa ja siihen sitten laulu päälle, joka ohjaa veisuja moneen suuntaan. Vähän jos jaksaa keskittyä niin huomaa, että ei oo vaan poukkoilevaa jollottelua vaan ns. rakenteellista. Sit viel kun kaikki tuotannosta lähtien on yhen gimulin tekemää niin ohan siin kerrakseen. Verrattuna siihen toiseen mitseliin niin huomattavasti parempi. Kai se on sitten, että tää on se pääteos ja muut sitten kokeilevampaa tai pliisumpaa. Klasu antaa kymppi pistettä jaettuna kahella.
First listen I was a 3 - but persevered given its reputation. I am now high 4 - but not quite a 5. There are some really lovely moments of real beauty - but at times there is a bit too much going on a few too many words. EDIT - have been listening to this album alot over past couple of days as wanted something chill to listen to and its now very much in 5 territory.
Surely it's peak Joni. A glorious collection of compact songs, not a note wasted, often moving. There seems to be a few emotional threads running though acting as inspiration - Graham Nash, James Taylor, her child. It led Kris Kristofferson to say "Joni! Keep SOMETHING to yourself!" (my emphasis), which is grossly patronising given each lyric is articulated so brilliantly. The highest praise is saved for 'Little Green', a genuinely moving lament for her child given away for adoption; just Joni and her guitar, beautifully sung. 'Court and Spark' is superb and her voice sounds even better there. This feels like an emotional maelstrom rendered as stripped down brilliance, maybe even more consistent than Court. Outstanding.
Joni's third album is often thought of as one of her finest, it's stripped back, bare sound draw attention to the deeply personal lyrics. I don't have this on CD, so I've ordered one today
I mean… wow. There’s a reason Joni Mitchell is considered a legend. The lyrics, her voice, the musicianship is all just SO good. It was just beautiful and it’s hard to dislike this era of music.
beautiful
Incredible album. I love Joni's poetic songwriting. My favorite of this relisten was 'The Last Time I Saw Richard.' I would give 5 stars to 'Hejira' too, that's my favorite Joni Mitchell album and I recommend it.
My favorite Joni album.
A wonderful old favorite. Not a soul or a voice on this spinning earth quite like Joni.
Soooo good! Incredibly engaging throughout, with interesting melodies, beautiful arrangements and deep and personal lyrics. I listened to this three times in a row.
9/10 maybe 10
best album ever
My favorite album.
Classic
Incredible
5/5 - Couldn’t ask for much more from a classic folk album. Aside from River, which is one of my all-time favorites, I like All I Want, California, Carey, Blue, A Case of You — yeah, most everything. Joni’s lyric writing is on another level.
I mean I sob to River every time I hear it and it’s already one of my favorite albums so a 5 is necessary here
An intimate, resonant classic - elegantly crafted and beautifully delivered
masterpiece
An Absolute classic. Joni Mitchell is an icon and and influence on just about every folk singer that came after.
Amazing album absolutely no notes
This was a beautiful album. I listened to it twice. Joni Mitchell has a lovely, expressive voice. Musically the songs were simple and complex at the same time.
I don't always listen to female singer-songwriter albums. But when I do, it's usually Joni Mitchell. And this is my favorite of hers.
5 stars no notes, this is simply the best album ever put to tape. and its not even close. The music, the lyrics, and that voice. that VOICE. it makes me feel everything.
Wonderful album, an easy 5, taught many cold English hearts how to love
wow
Haunting vocals, often at odds with the content of the lyrics. Incredible voice and story telling
Classic
One of my favorites, of course. My baby sister has just started to get into Joni which I love, sharing music with people is one of life’s greatest joys. Happy afternoon relisten!
I have heard of Joni Mitchell before but I haven't listened to her actively or sought her music out. A really pleasant voice to listen to and the album is a very easy listen. An artist and songs that I will definitely listen to again in the future.
Classic. Brilliant. Every song
Everyone was right. Was sure I wouldn’t like Joni Mitchell’s music that much, folk is not really my genre, but it really is beautiful. ‘River’ made me cry. ‘California’ ‘All I want’ really great. Amazing album.
4.5
I really wanted to stand back from this one a bit - it’s one of those archetypal ’classic albums’ that appears in every list, to the point that you wonder if there some kind of conspiracy at play. How good can a record be? It’s surely now a habit now to call Blue a great album. It’s just a record. I didn’t want to call it great just because everyone says it’s great and therefore, it’s great. So I planned to pull a few bits off of it - I was going to have a stab at the occasional tendency for over-singing, like for example on My Old Man where Mitchell’s stretching the vocal cords into warbler mode but really, how could it be sung any differently? How could these songs be presented in any other way? This is perfection. A brilliant, brilliant record. Every second is pitch-perfect. A masterclass record.
Incredible! this album feels like thinking about your warm bed at home on the first night of a long journey. it ACHES.
Hell yeah Joni Mitchell.
143 Aunque hay algunos momentos en que no me llamaba mucho la atención, de verdad que es un disco hermoso y entiendo por qué está en esta lista. Escucho tanto de ella en tantos referentes posteriores que me encantan. Conocía sólo un par de canciones por ser parte de bandas sonoras de películas (Practical magic), y porque Sophie Madeleine le hizo un cover una vez, nada más.
One of the all time greats. Perhaps not my favorite Joni album but certainly the core text. Lots of memories of specific people, times and places associated with this for me. Required listening for anyone in their 20’s, it speaks to passion, longing and regret better than anything else, and lowers your blood pressure while doing so. On this listen, was struck by Joni’s unique combination of lyricism and melody- the tunes never leave your head, but if you try to sing it yourself you end up with endless 6-car-pileups on the freeway. Several songs on this would be the greatest, most moving song anyone else ever wrote. Also worth noting that my vinyl copy of this album is one of the best sounding records I own, much, much better than how it sounds on streaming. One quibble- the final track on the album has never really done it for me. I recognize the need for a chaser after ‘case of you’ but i have never been able to fully digest ‘the last time i saw Richard’.
The generator is playing no games today. What an outstanding album this is! Beautiful, minimalist song-writing and melodies. Heart-breaking lyrics. What's not to love?
10/5
Like a Bob Dylan. Very poetic and some odd vocal choices.
Excellent album. Joni at her peak. The others that have come up were okay to good but this one shines
Sensational
Gorgeous
1001 Albums Vol. 0009: Blue ============================================================ Introduction: What the hell even is this lineup of albums that I've gotten. It started with Disintegration and the greats have just kept rolling since. Now, as for this album, I'm not entirely sure what to feel about it. I've heard countless great things about it, yet I'm going to admit that I'm not really that big of a fan of folk. I mean, I appreciate folk songs for their bigger focus on lyrics and telling a story compared to other genres of music, yet I wouldn't consider much of the folk albums Bob Dylan made to be some of the greatest of all time. I did really like Dylan's second release, so who the hell knows. Anyway, like I said, this album's general genre is folk. Now, the instrumentation is minimalistic, yet there is apparently instrument variety across each song. One song may use a piano while another may use an acoustic guitar, that kinda thing. This album was released way back in 1971 by Joni Mitchell. Apparently, many of the songs on hear pertain to relationships in some way. If the album cover and title say anything, I would imagine that this album isn't going to cover the happiness these relationships bring. If this is true, then I will admit that I kinda like the concept due to how much of an effect sadness as an emotion has on me. Anyway, like I said, I've heard many, many great things about this album. I've literally never decided to listen to it before, yet I've heard so many great things about it. I've heard that it was extremely influential, extremely unique, considered one of the best albums of all time, those kinda things. Again, I find it pretty crazy that back-to-back I've been getting albums that critics consider to be some of the greatest releases ever. I mean, it's nice to get greats now, yet that just leaves the trash for later. And yes, I am aware that there is some absolute trash on this site. Anyway, we'll cross that bridge when we come into it. Until then, let's hopefully keep the streak of greatness going with Blue by Joni Mitchell. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 1: All I Want Score: 11/10 Track 2: My Old Man Score: 10/10 Track 3: Little Green Score: 10/10 Track 4: Carey Score: 10/10 Track 5: Blue Score: 9/10 Track 6: California Score: 9/10 Track 7: This Flight Tonight Score: 9/10 Track 8: River Score: 10/10 Track 9: A Case of You Score: 9/10 Track 10: The Last Time I Saw Richard Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conclusion: Wow, just wow. Like I said, I've never been the biggest fan of folk, yet I will admit that there is so much greatness packed into this album. I would go so far as to call every song off of this album great. Why? Well, like I expected, there is so much pain packed into this album. Not just any pain, one of the greatest pains that one can feel: the pain of love. There is a song on here about missing home and one about genuinely one of the saddest things I have heard as well, yet most pertain to the theme of love. While this album does have a very painful and cohesive theme, the specific topics each song covers varies. One song may speak about missing someone, another may speak about being so focused on the positives in a relationship that you don't realize how miserable you are, and one may simply speak about regretting leaving someone. There's a song on here that I'm sure we all can relate to in some capacity. The lyrics used to describe these scenarios are absolutely brilliant as well. The chorus of River is an especially beautiful metaphor for the feeling brought upon with the end of a good relationship. Now, there are two songs on here that pertain to a different topic than love. California simply talks about the feeling of missing home. That being said, Little Green's meaning is absolutely heart-wrenching. The lyrics are based on a true event in Joni Mitchell's life in which she gave up her own daughter to an adoption center because she believed that she would be better off with a family who could actually take care of her. Mitchell was in an extremely poor financial situation when she made this decision back in 1965. The amount of strength needed to write this song, perfect the lyrics, and perform it as well is just tremendous. Like I said, it's genuinely one of the saddest stories I've ever heard a song present to me. As a side note, Mitchell and her daughter would reunite in the 90's, so hooray for that. Anyway, this album isn't necessarily my musical cup of tea. As far as folk goes, some of these arrangements are amazing, yet I really don't find myself thinking all too much about them. Nevertheless, I am still able to appreciate their uniqueness and influential nature. That being said, an aspect of this album that I both genuinely like from a casual perspective and find genuinely interesting from a critical perspective is Mitchell's amazing voice. I can't quite describe it in a way that would do it justice. It simply sounds so loose yet tight and powerful at the same time. Her voice simply sounds like what many modern pop artists should want to sound like. There were a few moments on this album where I could hear a bit of a modern pop voice as well, so I guess you could describe Mitchell's voice as influential on top of being amazing. Though, like I just said, even though there were occasional moments where I head a modern pop voice, Mitchell's overall delivery is seriously on another level. The way Mitchell can so flawlessly flow from a high to low pitch simply sounds angelic. Overall, this album is just amazing. I mean, folk is generally such an uninteresting genre of music for me, and I still found myself deeply effected by some songs. Through genuinely great production, a very talented singer, wonderfully tragic lyrics, and a genuine complexity in many melodies despite the objective simple arrangements, this album manages to be genuinely great. It's weird that I've been getting so many masterpieces back-to-back, yet I'm not going to complain until I get the exact opposite, getting nothing but trash back-to-back since I've already listened to everything great. That will likely happen eventually, but the streak of greats continued today. ============================================================ Blue Score: 10/10 Song Average: 9.6/10
In my top 10 albums of all time. Amazing from start to finish. An incredible voice and musician who is, in my opinion, at the peak of her powers. Plenty has been written about this album and it really is as good as is claimed.
New #1. Literally top 3 album ever for me it gets better every time
Obviously a classic. Every song is a freaking masterpiece. Carey and little green hit in particular on this listen through.
Before overcoming her breakup with Graham Nash, and as she was already romantically involved with James Taylor,Annie Lennox's idol Joni Mitchell wrote and produced entirely by herself Blue. The crystal clear,accurate,beautiful songs have only piano(but what a piano!), her unique sharp guitar playing, Appalachian dulcimer(Cindy Lauper's also favourite instrument) and of course her amazing distinctive high voice along with her fantastic storytelling lyrics. In January 2000, The New York Times chose Blue as one of the 25 albums that represented "turning points and pinnacles in 20th-century popular music".That's why is on this list and in most people's lists.But of course not only for that, but for all the reasons i said above.I remember the first time i heard this.I was gobsmacked by her talent. Favourites-if not the whole album-: All I Want.High notes gives me chills,still.She's travelling and i'm packing along.The rhytmic guitar playing is out-of this world. My Old Man.The way she plays the piano and sings from major to minor with such ease is phenomenal.It's like alternate feelings instantly. Blue.The piano and the delivery creates a magical piece.So many artists influenced by this and Joni in general,a name that poped up in my head from hundreds as i listen is Tori Amos. River.Talks about Xmas as she geniously plays Gingle Bells first notes on the piano,on a different signature. When she sings Fly she holds the note until next Xmas.Absolutely fantastic.She closes again with Gingle Bells played in a different key. The Last Time I Saw Richard.Her piano playing is amazing to say the least,again.Dreamy strorytelling deliver. This voted-among other things-as the best female album of all times.When pure talent creates and produces the perfect album-I say-. 5/5
Poignant lyrics by a beautiful voice
Fav Joni mitchell
Never would have found this without this website. This is why I'm here.
love love love joni mitchell<3
The mother and heart of the confessional folk song movement. I can't listen to it enough. 4.5/5
You know it’s a 5 at about :25 — that’s when Joni starts singing. It helps that I know the album well. But after hearing so much overproduced, precious music on the list, it’s refreshing to hear on artist who sounds like she’s playing in her living room in Laurel Canyon & is just killing it! Sure, some of it is a bit sappy … but I think it might suffer from its association with earlier generations’ adoration of Joni. The adoration was well earned— but can you really love your mom’s favorite artist the same way as something that’s particular to your own generation? The answer is “yes!” Perfection is perfection. It’s a five.
Gorgeous cosy tracks, angelic voice over gentle guitar strums.
Easily one of the top 10 albums of all time!
Beautiful Album by Joni Mitchell. She has such a unique voice and expression. I really wish there was more of this in modern popular music.
So good
Best Track - "California"
One of my favorite albums of all time. Joni’s pen is LEGENDARY and this is some of her best work. I will not be taking criticism at this time.
This is often touted as Joni's best album, but 'Court and Spark' exists so... Still, any album with one song as good as 'River' would probably be considered an all time classic, and this one has several of that quality. Yes, it's depressing. It's supposed to be.
I like it. She’s got a very bright and beautiful head voice. Very agile and athletic voice as well, yet she doesn’t over use the agility. Music wise, amazing song writing. Some melodies are well structured. I can’t tell whether “my old man” is Lydian or Dorian or just minor in the bridge, but the colour palette changes as the music flows. Very tasteful. Simple production, guitar, piano, but it doesn’t feel boring at all. The last time I saw Richard, I can hear a whole story behind the song. Very impressive. This is my standard for a five!
Great intangible quality to it. Has something magical to it that's tough to beat.
Fantastic
Probablement déjà écouté une fois, sans grand sérieux...
AUTO FIVE not my personal favorite joni album but maybe her best!
Rich with meaning and musical texture while only featuring 2-3 instruments at time. Impeccable songwriting and production. Joni’s voice is so pure and clear and her musical instincts are outstanding. Couldn’t be less than a 5!
sexy album
LOVE
River ties it all together so beautifully.
Ocean of emotions encapsulated in a little over half an hour
I've loved this album for a long time, and it was a real treat to get to listen to it again today. Something about hearing those lone dulcimer licks...it's like I can feel my heart wringing. It's just so earnest, and raw, and beautiful. All of it. Even just reading these lyrics makes me want to cry, it's such beautiful poetry. Add to that her flawless vocals, and it's a perfect package. To be honest, I don't much care for "My Old Man" or "The Last Time I Saw Richard"...but I'll give Joni a pass.
Oh it’s great definitely had me feeling… blue
A five all day
It feels like Joni is singing to me personally. Beautiful.
Appalachian dulcimer players of the world unite!
Great. This is what an album experience should be. Each song is unique, but adds together to build into a whole.
already heard this tons of times, love it All I Want - 5/5 My Old Man - 5/5 Little Green - 5/5 Carey - 5/5 Blue - 5/5 California - 5/5 This Flight Tonight - 4/5 River - 5/5 A Case of You - 5/5 The Last Time I Saw Richard - 4/5 Average score: 4.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great sound production on this one. Joni's voice is in perfect form here. Not surprised at all to hear this one listed as one of the all-time greatest albums.
so beautiful. one of my favorites
A voz de Joni e sua interpretação trazem uma pitada melancólica que aborda temas complexos e pessoais. Desde a primeira música é uma explosão de sentimentos, é íntimo, quase como se estivéssemos lendo seu diário — vulnerável, honesto e atemporal, um dos melhores álbuns que já ouvi na vida!
I mean... it's Blue. Nothing to say other than it is an incredible piece of music and art. Such a confessional. If music was color, this is Blue. Everything about it is just so amazing.
Joni’s been a huge blind spot for me. I’ve probably heard all of this record but I always knew I needed more time with it and boy have I fallen in love. First 5/5 that is newly appreciated. It’s not that I conflated her with Nico but I think I expected her to be similar and I don’t really like Nico’s music.
9/10 Favourite: A Case of You Least Favourite: This Flight Tonight
15.10.25 klo 13, hima, varvas, spotify ei tää voi olla mitään muuta ku 5
classic
Incredible voice and lyrics
What a great album! So hard to choose a favorite, since so many of them are so good in different ways. I ended up going with the opener, since it just sounds like “Blue” (the album) to me. Favorite Track: All I Wanted
Stuck this on while in the bath, perfect.
Skal ikke klage for mye på denne altså. Nydelig album.
Folk music at its finest. The melodies sound amazing and Joni’s songwriting perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet and tender feel for the record.
Again and absolute classic. Joni's voice soars and dips as she plays with words. It's poetry, but her singing elevates it to a different level. There are some classic hits. Carey and This Flight Tonight and my favourite California. However the whole album is great. Growing up in Canada I probably got exposed to this music more than most. Still love it.
About as close to perfect as music can get for me. Utterly unique and authentic - she could sing the theme tune to ‘Rainbow’ and I would hang on her every word. ‘Little Green’, her first-hand account of placing a child for adoption, had me floored.
Stone cold classic
Great album but her vocals are a bit much sometimes.
I already knew I would love this album just based off of River being the only song I knew before listening to it. Currently my highest rated album ever, according to AOTY. 91/100
Not an everyday album but when it hits it hits and it's great
*listened before the project* Beautiful as always, lovely and lively
Len Houmous proposed to Joni twice. She didn’t ever give an answer. I’m not sure she wanted to be called Joni Houmous 5.0 8/10 River
One of my favorite albums of all time.
I think this is Joni Mitchell's best album and that isn't really a controversial take I would guess. It's very mellow, which does not make it bad, but it does limit the different moods I need to be in to listen to it. This is a classic 70's folk album with great songs all over. The real question now remains...Is River a Christmas song? I argue that it is not, as snow and winter are nothing but a background to the theme of the song, which is loneliness. Seminal album, even if veterans of the 90's Lilith Fair tour don't like the substance. Joni did it first and don't hold the Lilith Fair of it all against her.
One of the easiest five stars I'll give.
A masterpiece.
God this woman’s voice is just transcendent
Great listen, big fan of the minimalist folk feel. Really liked California, Little Green, This Flight Tonight. Weirdly comforting vocals. After discussion and replay review the call on the field has been overturned. Please place the ball at the 5
Amazing Album. Super chill, perfect for a drive through the trees. She's a great singer and a songwriter that keeps you guessing 24/7. Not being able to expect what's coming, it's easy to get lost in the melody roller coaster of her singing and the constantly changing picture that's being painted.
What is there even to say about what might be my favourite album of all time? The songwriting on this album is phenomenal and somehow relatable in a way that I cannot believe it is over 50 years old. Joni sings and writes about womanhood in a way that is absolutely timeless. I made a list of my favourite lyrics on this album because I think they speak for themselves: All I Want: "I am on a lonely road and I am traveling Traveling, traveling, traveling Looking for something, what can it be? Oh, I hate you some, I hate you some, I love you some Oh, I love you when I forget about me" "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" My Old Man: "We don't need no piece of paper From the city hall Keeping us tied and true" "But when he's gone Me and them lonesome blues collide The bed's too big The frying pan's too wide" Little Green: "Child with a child pretending Weary of lies you are sending home So you sign all the papers in the family name You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed Little green have a happy ending" California: "Sitting in a park in Paris, France Reading the news and it sure looks bad They won't give peace a chance That was just a dream some of us had" "Oh will you take me as I am Strung out on another man California I'm coming home" A Case of You: "Oh I am a lonely painter I live in a box of paints I'm frightened by the devil And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid I remember that time you told me you said "Love is touching souls" Surely you touched mine 'Cause part of you pours out of me In these lines from time to time" The Last Time I Saw Richard: "The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in '68 And he told me all romantics meet the same fate someday" ""Richard, you haven't really changed" I said It's just that now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head" "Richard got married to a figure skater And he bought her a dishwasher and a coffee percolator"
I think this one really speaks for itself. Favourite track is my old man.
This time, I remembered how utterly brilliant the guitar is - tuned fun, open drone notes, wow yes! :) There's always something with this album :)
Beautiful voice
A supreme peak in a career of many.
Gorgeous. Dulcimer!
I'm not traditionally a singer-songwriter stan, but I can absolutely understand why this album is on the list. The writing across all of these tracks is phenomenal and there are so many catchy hooks and lines. The album starts out great with both All I Want and My Old Man (we don't need a piece of paper from the city... hall). It's a melancholy album and I think it's easy to dismiss the album because it's such a mood but that would be a mistake. The album also end amazingly with my favorite track A Case of You, and the wonderful Last Time... This is definitely the best album on the list so far.
This is really lovely. River, A Case of You, California are top tracks for me. It's albums like this that make me wish I was better at listening to lyrics. I wasn't familiar with the name Joni Mitchell but this album was great. The sound is classic and could be something make a year ago and I'd hardly question it.
Favorite tracks: River, My Old Man, California I was shocked to see this album is from 1971, I would have guessed it was the outcome of the 90-00 singer songwriter boom. Beautiful voice and lyrics, and well ahead of her time.
Always amazing!
Joni Mitchell's "Blue", confessional song-writing at its best. The album begins with "All I Want," where Mitchell's percussive acoustic guitar and her distinctive voice immediately take centre stage. Her vocals are the album's primary focus, and they convey a wide range of emotions with minimal accompaniment. The production is intentionally sparse, creating an intimate listening experience. The songs on "Blue" are a direct and honest exploration of love, loss, and the often-painful search for connection. Standout tracks like the heart breaking "Little Green," a song about the daughter she gave up for adoption, the title track "Blue" and the enduring beauty of "A Case of You" are prime examples of the album's lyrical depth and power. Blue stands as a defining work of the singer-songwriter genre. A five-star classic. Side One 1- "All I Want" – 5/5 2- "My Old Man" – 4/5 3 - "Little Green" – 5/5 4 - "Carey" – 5/5 5 - "Blue" – 5/5 Side Two 6 - "California" – 5/5 7 - "This Flight Tonight" – 3/5 8 - "River" – 5/5 9 - "A Case of You" – 5/5 10 - "The Last Time I Saw Richard" – 4/5 Total - 46 Average - 4.6 91/1001
I have loved and cherished this album since being very small.
good listen
I thought I had heard all the voices, but here is a new voice! What a beautiful singing style. I think I was captivated all the way through to the last song, and then it was slightly too much. But all around superb! I loved it.
Joni Mitchell's greatest strength has always been her wit. Listening to her music feels like having a casual conversation. Whereas Dylan was lauded at the time for being a very very serious auteur, Joni always seemed less focused on making grand, complex statements and more concerned with ruminations on the scene happening below her bedroom window. Blue is Joni's essences boiled down and supersaturated: effortlessly poetic but never overbearing. Unfortunately, only recently has she been receiving a reappraisal; largely by younger audiences, but it makes complete sense -- Blue is timeless. It's an intricate study of love and time: the platonic, romantic, and familial. Her superpower is highlighting these 60s scenes and making them appear right in front of you.
Incredible. I feel it’s a couple generations to early for me but man is it good