JONI MITCHELL 

- 'Clouds' -

Bought 'Seagull' and this album when they were released over here and fell for Joni's songwriting playing and that haunting undisciplined voice up to 'Blue' and then began to wonder at the power of fame and wealth to corrupt the innocent and she seems to have been destined to end her final years as mad as a box of frogs . . . . . . . but hey? That's feminism for ya if it's true of the great male artists why shouldn't it be true for Joni too?

On this day in music history: May 19, 1969 - “Clouds”, the second album by Joni Mitchell is released. Produced by Joni Mitchell and Paul A. Rothchild, it is recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood, CA from January - March 1969. Though her debut album “Song To A Seagull” charts and sells only modestly, Joni Mitchell finds her public profile growing rapidly during this time. With numerous artists covering her already significant catalog of songs, she is a consistent public presence, also touring extensively. Looking to take more control of her music in the studio, Mitchell is largely given free reign to produce her second album. Veteran producer Paul A. Rothchild (The Doors, Janis Joplin), produces only the track “Tin Angel”, with Mitchell producing the rest on her own. Recording engineer Henry Lewy provides valuable assistance in capturing her musical ideas on tape. The project is the first of a long and productive collaboration between the pair, which lasts for a decade. Much like her first album, Joni’s sophomore effort is musically spare with the musician accompanying herself on guitar and or piano on many tracks. The only other musician who appears on the album is friend Stephen Stills, who contributes guitar and bass to some tracks. Full of vivid lyrical imagery buoyed by Mitchell’s soaring mezzo-soprano voice, listeners are immediately enchanted. Among the centerpiece tracks on “Clouds” are “Chelsea Morning”, which had been previously recorded by Judy Collins and Fairport Convention, and “Both Sides Now”, also recorded by Collins. Released in the Spring of 1969, it heightens Joni Mitchell’s profile significantly, earning the prolific singer/songwriter her first Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance in 1970. Like its predecessor, “Clouds” features cover artwork painted by Mitchell herself, rendering a self portrait that becomes iconic in its own right. In time, the album becomes one of her most popular, marking the beginning of a string of musically innovative and influential albums, that Mitchell creates during the 70’s and beyond. Originally released on CD in 1986, it is remastered and reissued in 2000, with HDCD encoding and restoring the original artwork and printed lyrics to the packaging. To date, the vinyl edition of the album has yet to be reissued. “Clouds” peaks at number thirty one on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. 

Help support the Behind The Grooves music blog with a donation by clicking on the link at: PayPal.Me/jharris1228