From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2009 #210 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Friday, August 7 2009 Volume 2009 : Number 210 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Reoccurring Nightmare [Mark-Leon Thorne ] Songs About Joni [Bob.Muller@Fluor.com] joni's wiki [Oddmund Kaarevik ] article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) [Moni Kellermann ] Re: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) [T Peckham Subject: Re: Reoccurring Nightmare < No offense taken, Mark - sorry you had a crappy day. Things at work are a bit dark here as well. We just lost a project that was employing 400 people and they're de-staffing at 50/week - lots of friends losing their jobs or being offered working in Afghanistan, a pretty tough choice in terms of field work. I certainly have no problem with Joni's creative vocals - she does it ALL the time and it's one of the things that I love about her singing. Who else but Joni would sing the word "glide" over about a 12-syllable measure? Love it. It's just another way that she is defined in the jazz realm and not as a folksinger imo. I've never cared for the vast majority of CMIARS - the songs, the production, the obviously included guest stars she exploited to commercialize the project, it's just too sterile for me and it only gets worse with time. Hope you have a better day today! Bob> I think you meant this message to Melissa, Bob. I wasn't going to weigh into this one. Still, shitty days all round. Oh well, the weekend is just around the corner. Mark (not Melissa) in Sydney NP Same Situation - Gregson and Collister ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 09:42:51 -0400 From: Bob.Muller@Fluor.com Subject: Songs About Joni & Not listed on the website - you can hear samples of them on Amazon... 1. "Joni Mitchell", by The Passionate & Objective Jokerfan, from the 2009 release "Songs About Singers". http://tinyurl.com/ks3sbj 2. "Joni Mitchell" by Libby Weaver, from the 2008 release "Vanity Fair". http://tinyurl.com/ntcxlo 3. "Singing Joni Mitchell" by Ian Fisher, from the 2008 release "Pawn Heart". http://tinyurl.com/n9vxdy Bob, just a little bored at work this AM NP: Erykah Badu, "Sometimes..." - ------------------------------------------------------------ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, business-confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the views of the company. - ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 19:24:19 +0200 From: Oddmund Kaarevik Subject: joni's wiki I just read the wiki on Joni and what a great read ! I don't know who's contributed, probably someone on the list. It was great. So thank you, all of you wise people ! I found it very informative - correct but also very inspiring and interesting. Of course I knew most of it, but that is not important. The important thing is that this is a great introduction to the one's who just stumbles over Joni - somewhere, sometimes. As we did somewhere, sometime. I just celebrate my ten years with Joni's music these days ! If you're interested, read it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joni_mitchell Best from Oddmund ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:56:45 +0200 From: Moni Kellermann Subject: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) source: http://www.reformer.com/ci_13001932 Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont title: Dance me to the end of love author: Joyce Marcel Enjoy! moni k. excerpt of the Joni part: - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another musical legend, Joni Mitchell, has also recently come back into my consciousness. That's because of critic Michelle Mercer's worshipful new book, "Will You Take Me As I Am: Joni Mitchell's bBlue' Period (Free Press, 2009). Gifted with a breathtaking ability to write melody and confessional poetry, Mitchell was the anti-goddess of my younger days. I was extremely jealous of her, because in writing her own life, she was writing mine. She wrote and so did I. She went to the caves at Matala, in Greece, and so did I. She went to Ibiza and so did I. She had lovers and so did I. She was rich, celebrated and famous, and there the resemblance ended. Much of what Mitchell wrote has remained in -- and changed -- the culture. "Both Sides Now" is an anthem. The heartbreakingly lovely "River" has been covered by dozens of artists. Bill and Hillary Clinton named their daughter after a Mitchell song. In the wonderful British film "Love, Actually," Emma Thompson says of her, "She taught your cold English wife how to love." Mitchell eventually gave up melody for freeform jazz and lost most of her audience. Now she infrequently tours and rarely gives interviews. Although Mercer willingly became her slave to write the book, Mitchell still does not come across well. A hard woman to please, she disparages Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Madonna and Alanis Morrissette, of all people, by saying, "I don't see her as a great thinker, a great woman, a great anything." In fact, Mercer is in such despair about how egotistical and mean-spirited Mitchell sounds that she is impelled to add a coda called "Stuff Joni Likes or Even Loves." These include pool (Mitchell brags about her prowess); writer Alice Monro; some Dylan; Van Gogh; the second Miles Davis Quintet and Nietzsche. Another person Mitchell loved -- and disparages -- is Cohen. His "Suzanne" convinced her to try writing "character sketch" songs. She even wrote songs for him, calling him a "holy man on the FM radio" and wryly saying that he tells the truth in his masterpiece, "Hallelujah," when he says he "couldn't feel, so he tried to touch." But Cohen has always been a lover, not a fighter. Mitchell even claims, "I don't think he can write a song without using (the words) bnaked body.'" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 12:53:48 -0500 From: Cindy Vickery Subject: Stevie Nicks, talking about C&S The Record that Changed My Life Thoughts on Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark By Stevie Nicks | June 28, 2009 10:00 a.m Joni Mitchells Court and Spark. I was over at [Fleetwood Mac producer Keith Olsons] house, and he had these great speakers that were as tall as me, and Jonis record had just come out, and I put it on. He went away, it was just me, and I listened to this record for three days. She was able to stuff so many words into one sentence and not have them sound crowded. She was talking about what it was like to be very famous and to be a woman living in a mans world. She had been in the world of fame much longer than me, and she had gone out with every famous rock n roll star that there was. And she was such an amazing guitarist that they all respected her. That was unheard of. She was in the boys club. She talked about what I saw coming. Even though Buckingham Nicks had tanked, I knew that we were going to be very famous, very rich, and that this fame thing was going to overwhelm us. So when I listened to this record, it was like a great old premonition just being laid out in front of me. There is a song on it called The Same Situation, and that song just would kill me when Id hear it. Because I knew it was coming. _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=PID23384::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:NF_BR_syn c:082009 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 14:26:19 -0500 From: T Peckham Subject: Re: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) Thanks, Moni, for posting this. I received a Google alert to the article but can't get the paper's website to open properly. I realize it's just a small local/regional paper, but later I'm going to steal a few moments to write to the author of the article and ask her to correct her mistakes. Joni did not "disparage" James Taylor, but more important to note, Joni is NOT quoted as having said *anything* about Dan Fogelberg. The diatribe on him was Mercer's alone. Also hers alone were the unnecessarily unkind comments about the talents and career of Carly Simon. (If Joni *did *discuss these artists with Mercer, it doesn't come across that way. The comments appear to be purely her [Mercer's] opinions.) As for Joni's Madonna and Alanis Morissette comment, it's taken out of context. If one carefully reads the entire quote, Joni's ire, to me at least, seems quite appropriate. Also (tho this could simply be a typo), it's Alice MUNRO, not Monro, Ms. Marcel. ;-) Terra On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM, Moni Kellermann wrote: > source: http://www.reformer.com/ci_13001932 > Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont > title: Dance me to the end of love > author: Joyce Marcel > > > Enjoy! > moni k. > > > > excerpt of the Joni part: > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Another musical legend, Joni Mitchell, has also recently come back into my > consciousness. That's because of critic Michelle Mercer's worshipful new > book, "Will You Take Me As I Am: Joni Mitchell's b Blue' Period (Free Press, > 2009). > > Gifted with a breathtaking ability to write melody and confessional poetry, > Mitchell was the anti-goddess of my younger days. I was extremely jealous of > her, because in writing her own life, she was writing mine. She wrote and so > did I. She went to the caves at Matala, in Greece, and so did I. She went to > Ibiza and so did I. She had lovers and so did I. She was rich, celebrated > and famous, and there the resemblance ended. > > Much of what Mitchell wrote has remained in -- and changed -- the culture. > "Both Sides Now" is an anthem. The heartbreakingly lovely "River" has been > covered by dozens of artists. Bill and Hillary Clinton named their daughter > after a Mitchell song. > > In the wonderful British film "Love, Actually," Emma Thompson says of her, > "She taught your cold English wife how to love." > > Mitchell eventually gave up melody for freeform jazz and lost most of her > audience. Now she infrequently tours and rarely gives interviews. > > Although Mercer willingly became her slave to write the book, Mitchell > still does not come across well. A hard woman to please, she disparages > Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Madonna and Alanis Morrissette, > of all people, by saying, "I don't see her as a great thinker, a great > woman, a great anything." > > In fact, Mercer is in such despair about how egotistical and mean-spirited > Mitchell sounds that she is impelled to add a coda called "Stuff Joni Likes > or Even Loves." These include pool (Mitchell brags about her prowess); > writer Alice Monro; some Dylan; Van Gogh; the second Miles Davis Quintet and > Nietzsche. > > Another person Mitchell loved -- and disparages -- is Cohen. His "Suzanne" > convinced her to try writing "character sketch" songs. She even wrote songs > for him, calling him a "holy man on the FM radio" and wryly saying that he > tells the truth in his masterpiece, "Hallelujah," when he says he "couldn't > feel, so he tried to touch." > > But Cohen has always been a lover, not a fighter. Mitchell even claims, "I > don't think he can write a song without using (the words) b naked body.'" > - -- Some things in life it just gets too late to learn . . . --Bob Dylan ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 12:37:30 -0700 From: Corey Blake Subject: Re: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) Thank you for the corrections, Terra. I haven't read the book yet and was kind of surprised to read this article saying that Joni disparaged James Taylor and Don Fogelberg. What about Jackson Browne? Is that accurate? - -Corey On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:26 PM, T Peckham wrote: > Thanks, Moni, for posting this. I received a Google alert to the article > but > can't get the paper's website to open properly. > > I realize it's just a small local/regional paper, but later I'm going to > steal a few moments to write to the author of the article and ask her to > correct her mistakes. Joni did not "disparage" James Taylor, but more > important to note, Joni is NOT quoted as having said *anything* about Dan > Fogelberg. The diatribe on him was Mercer's alone. Also hers alone were the > unnecessarily unkind comments about the talents and career of Carly Simon. > (If Joni *did *discuss these artists with Mercer, it doesn't come across > that way. The comments appear to be purely her [Mercer's] opinions.) As for > Joni's Madonna and Alanis Morissette comment, it's taken out of context. If > one carefully reads the entire quote, Joni's ire, to me at least, seems > quite appropriate. > > Also (tho this could simply be a typo), it's Alice MUNRO, not Monro, Ms. > Marcel. ;-) > Terra > > On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM, Moni Kellermann > wrote: > > > source: http://www.reformer.com/ci_13001932 > > Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont > > title: Dance me to the end of love > > author: Joyce Marcel > > > > > > Enjoy! > > moni k. > > > > > > > > excerpt of the Joni part: > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Another musical legend, Joni Mitchell, has also recently come back into > my > > consciousness. That's because of critic Michelle Mercer's worshipful new > > book, "Will You Take Me As I Am: Joni Mitchell's b Blue' Period (Free > Press, > > 2009). > > > > Gifted with a breathtaking ability to write melody and confessional > poetry, > > Mitchell was the anti-goddess of my younger days. I was extremely jealous > of > > her, because in writing her own life, she was writing mine. She wrote and > so > > did I. She went to the caves at Matala, in Greece, and so did I. She went > to > > Ibiza and so did I. She had lovers and so did I. She was rich, celebrated > > and famous, and there the resemblance ended. > > > > Much of what Mitchell wrote has remained in -- and changed -- the > culture. > > "Both Sides Now" is an anthem. The heartbreakingly lovely "River" has > been > > covered by dozens of artists. Bill and Hillary Clinton named their > daughter > > after a Mitchell song. > > > > In the wonderful British film "Love, Actually," Emma Thompson says of > her, > > "She taught your cold English wife how to love." > > > > Mitchell eventually gave up melody for freeform jazz and lost most of her > > audience. Now she infrequently tours and rarely gives interviews. > > > > Although Mercer willingly became her slave to write the book, Mitchell > > still does not come across well. A hard woman to please, she disparages > > Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Madonna and Alanis > Morrissette, > > of all people, by saying, "I don't see her as a great thinker, a great > > woman, a great anything." > > > > In fact, Mercer is in such despair about how egotistical and > mean-spirited > > Mitchell sounds that she is impelled to add a coda called "Stuff Joni > Likes > > or Even Loves." These include pool (Mitchell brags about her prowess); > > writer Alice Monro; some Dylan; Van Gogh; the second Miles Davis Quintet > and > > Nietzsche. > > > > Another person Mitchell loved -- and disparages -- is Cohen. His > "Suzanne" > > convinced her to try writing "character sketch" songs. She even wrote > songs > > for him, calling him a "holy man on the FM radio" and wryly saying that > he > > tells the truth in his masterpiece, "Hallelujah," when he says he > "couldn't > > feel, so he tried to touch." > > > > But Cohen has always been a lover, not a fighter. Mitchell even claims, > "I > > don't think he can write a song without using (the words) b naked body.'" > > > > > > -- > Some things in life it just gets too late to learn . . . --Bob Dylan > - -- - --------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.CoreyBlake.com - a whole lot of me Do you Dig Comics? http://www.digcomics.com Mailing List - http://coreyblake.googlepages.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 15:06:49 -0500 From: T Peckham Subject: Re: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) Hi Corey, Thank you! Unfortunately, yes, Joni does not have much good to say about Jackson Browne. It appears to be more about him as a person, tho, and not about his music. Over the years there have been back-and-forth comments in the press by both parties---some are documented in *Girls Like Us,* to name another source---but to me, it remains murky territory. I hope Joni writes her own story someday. :-) T On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 2:37 PM, Corey Blake wrote: > Thank you for the corrections, Terra. > > I haven't read the book yet and was kind of surprised to read this article > saying that Joni disparaged James Taylor and Don Fogelberg. What about > Jackson Browne? Is that accurate? > > -Corey > > > On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:26 PM, T Peckham wrote: > >> Thanks, Moni, for posting this. I received a Google alert to the article >> but >> can't get the paper's website to open properly. >> >> I realize it's just a small local/regional paper, but later I'm going to >> steal a few moments to write to the author of the article and ask her to >> correct her mistakes. Joni did not "disparage" James Taylor, but more >> important to note, Joni is NOT quoted as having said *anything* about Dan >> Fogelberg. The diatribe on him was Mercer's alone. Also hers alone were >> the >> unnecessarily unkind comments about the talents and career of Carly Simon. >> (If Joni *did *discuss these artists with Mercer, it doesn't come across >> that way. The comments appear to be purely her [Mercer's] opinions.) As >> for >> Joni's Madonna and Alanis Morissette comment, it's taken out of context. >> If >> one carefully reads the entire quote, Joni's ire, to me at least, seems >> quite appropriate. >> >> Also (tho this could simply be a typo), it's Alice MUNRO, not Monro, Ms. >> Marcel. ;-) >> Terra >> >> On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM, Moni Kellermann >> wrote: >> >> > source: http://www.reformer.com/ci_13001932 >> > Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont >> > title: Dance me to the end of love >> > author: Joyce Marcel >> > >> > >> > Enjoy! >> > moni k. >> > >> > >> > >> > excerpt of the Joni part: >> > >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > Another musical legend, Joni Mitchell, has also recently come back into >> my >> > consciousness. That's because of critic Michelle Mercer's worshipful new >> > book, "Will You Take Me As I Am: Joni Mitchell's b Blue' Period (Free >> Press, >> > 2009). >> > >> > Gifted with a breathtaking ability to write melody and confessional >> poetry, >> > Mitchell was the anti-goddess of my younger days. I was extremely >> jealous of >> > her, because in writing her own life, she was writing mine. She wrote >> and so >> > did I. She went to the caves at Matala, in Greece, and so did I. She >> went to >> > Ibiza and so did I. She had lovers and so did I. She was rich, >> celebrated >> > and famous, and there the resemblance ended. >> > >> > Much of what Mitchell wrote has remained in -- and changed -- the >> culture. >> > "Both Sides Now" is an anthem. The heartbreakingly lovely "River" has >> been >> > covered by dozens of artists. Bill and Hillary Clinton named their >> daughter >> > after a Mitchell song. >> > >> > In the wonderful British film "Love, Actually," Emma Thompson says of >> her, >> > "She taught your cold English wife how to love." >> > >> > Mitchell eventually gave up melody for freeform jazz and lost most of >> her >> > audience. Now she infrequently tours and rarely gives interviews. >> > >> > Although Mercer willingly became her slave to write the book, Mitchell >> > still does not come across well. A hard woman to please, she disparages >> > Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Madonna and Alanis >> Morrissette, >> > of all people, by saying, "I don't see her as a great thinker, a great >> > woman, a great anything." >> > >> > In fact, Mercer is in such despair about how egotistical and >> mean-spirited >> > Mitchell sounds that she is impelled to add a coda called "Stuff Joni >> Likes >> > or Even Loves." These include pool (Mitchell brags about her prowess); >> > writer Alice Monro; some Dylan; Van Gogh; the second Miles Davis Quintet >> and >> > Nietzsche. >> > >> > Another person Mitchell loved -- and disparages -- is Cohen. His >> "Suzanne" >> > convinced her to try writing "character sketch" songs. She even wrote >> songs >> > for him, calling him a "holy man on the FM radio" and wryly saying that >> he >> > tells the truth in his masterpiece, "Hallelujah," when he says he >> "couldn't >> > feel, so he tried to touch." >> > >> > But Cohen has always been a lover, not a fighter. Mitchell even claims, >> "I >> > don't think he can write a song without using (the words) b naked >> body.'" >> > >> >> >> >> -- >> Some things in life it just gets too late to learn . . . --Bob Dylan >> > > > > -- > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > http://www.CoreyBlake.com - a whole lot of me > > Do you Dig Comics? http://www.digcomics.com > > Mailing List - http://coreyblake.googlepages.com > - -- Some things in life it just gets too late to learn . . . --Bob Dylan ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 16:43:32 -0400 From: "Richard Flynn" Subject: RE: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) I think Mercer's analysis of the talents of Dan Fogelberg and Carly Simon is judicious and well supported. She argues that they represent a diminution of personal songwriting compared to masters like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, that they settle for "simple arguments and easy solutions" which great writers, like Mitchell, "pick apart." Mercer distinguishes between writing that explores feelings with an awareness of their complexity and writing that might as well be written to Dear Diary. Her aesthetic judgments are supported by analyses of songs (e.g. "Leader of the Band," "You're So Vain"). It is the job of the critic to make such aesthetic judgments. It is the job of the informed reader to weigh those judgments against their own experience of the works of art. I don't see anything gratuitous or ad hominem about MM's criticism of wither artist. (Also, "Monro" is the article writer's spelling mistake) > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-joni@smoe.org [mailto:owner-joni@smoe.org] On Behalf Of T > Peckham > Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2009 4:07 PM > To: Corey Blake; JMDL > Subject: Re: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) > > Hi Corey, > Thank you! Unfortunately, yes, Joni does not have much good to say > about > Jackson Browne. It appears to be more about him as a person, tho, and > not > about his music. Over the years there have been back-and-forth comments > in > the press by both parties---some are documented in *Girls Like Us,* to > name > another source---but to me, it remains murky territory. I hope Joni > writes > her own story someday. :-) > T > > > On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 2:37 PM, Corey Blake > wrote: > > > Thank you for the corrections, Terra. > > > > I haven't read the book yet and was kind of surprised to read this > article > > saying that Joni disparaged James Taylor and Don Fogelberg. What > about > > Jackson Browne? Is that accurate? > > > > -Corey > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:26 PM, T Peckham > wrote: > > > >> Thanks, Moni, for posting this. I received a Google alert to the > article > >> but > >> can't get the paper's website to open properly. > >> > >> I realize it's just a small local/regional paper, but later I'm > going to > >> steal a few moments to write to the author of the article and ask > her to > >> correct her mistakes. Joni did not "disparage" James Taylor, but > more > >> important to note, Joni is NOT quoted as having said *anything* > about Dan > >> Fogelberg. The diatribe on him was Mercer's alone. Also hers alone > were > >> the > >> unnecessarily unkind comments about the talents and career of Carly > Simon. > >> (If Joni *did *discuss these artists with Mercer, it doesn't come > across > >> that way. The comments appear to be purely her [Mercer's] opinions.) > As > >> for > >> Joni's Madonna and Alanis Morissette comment, it's taken out of > context. > >> If > >> one carefully reads the entire quote, Joni's ire, to me at least, > seems > >> quite appropriate. > >> > >> Also (tho this could simply be a typo), it's Alice MUNRO, not Monro, > Ms. > >> Marcel. ;-) > >> Terra > >> > >> On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 12:56 PM, Moni Kellermann > >> wrote: > >> > >> > source: http://www.reformer.com/ci_13001932 > >> > Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont > >> > title: Dance me to the end of love > >> > author: Joyce Marcel > >> > > >> > > >> > Enjoy! > >> > moni k. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > excerpt of the Joni part: > >> > > >> -------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------ > >> > Another musical legend, Joni Mitchell, has also recently come back > into > >> my > >> > consciousness. That's because of critic Michelle Mercer's > worshipful new > >> > book, "Will You Take Me As I Am: Joni Mitchell's b Blue' Period > (Free > >> Press, > >> > 2009). > >> > > >> > Gifted with a breathtaking ability to write melody and > confessional > >> poetry, > >> > Mitchell was the anti-goddess of my younger days. I was extremely > >> jealous of > >> > her, because in writing her own life, she was writing mine. She > wrote > >> and so > >> > did I. She went to the caves at Matala, in Greece, and so did I. > She > >> went to > >> > Ibiza and so did I. She had lovers and so did I. She was rich, > >> celebrated > >> > and famous, and there the resemblance ended. > >> > > >> > Much of what Mitchell wrote has remained in -- and changed -- the > >> culture. > >> > "Both Sides Now" is an anthem. The heartbreakingly lovely "River" > has > >> been > >> > covered by dozens of artists. Bill and Hillary Clinton named their > >> daughter > >> > after a Mitchell song. > >> > > >> > In the wonderful British film "Love, Actually," Emma Thompson says > of > >> her, > >> > "She taught your cold English wife how to love." > >> > > >> > Mitchell eventually gave up melody for freeform jazz and lost most > of > >> her > >> > audience. Now she infrequently tours and rarely gives interviews. > >> > > >> > Although Mercer willingly became her slave to write the book, > Mitchell > >> > still does not come across well. A hard woman to please, she > disparages > >> > Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Madonna and Alanis > >> Morrissette, > >> > of all people, by saying, "I don't see her as a great thinker, a > great > >> > woman, a great anything." > >> > > >> > In fact, Mercer is in such despair about how egotistical and > >> mean-spirited > >> > Mitchell sounds that she is impelled to add a coda called "Stuff > Joni > >> Likes > >> > or Even Loves." These include pool (Mitchell brags about her > prowess); > >> > writer Alice Monro; some Dylan; Van Gogh; the second Miles Davis > Quintet > >> and > >> > Nietzsche. > >> > > >> > Another person Mitchell loved -- and disparages -- is Cohen. His > >> "Suzanne" > >> > convinced her to try writing "character sketch" songs. She even > wrote > >> songs > >> > for him, calling him a "holy man on the FM radio" and wryly saying > that > >> he > >> > tells the truth in his masterpiece, "Hallelujah," when he says he > >> "couldn't > >> > feel, so he tried to touch." > >> > > >> > But Cohen has always been a lover, not a fighter. Mitchell even > claims, > >> "I > >> > don't think he can write a song without using (the words) b naked > >> body.'" > >> > > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Some things in life it just gets too late to learn . . . --Bob Dylan > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > http://www.CoreyBlake.com - a whole lot > of me > > > > Do you Dig Comics? http://www.digcomics.com > > > > Mailing List - http://coreyblake.googlepages.com > > > > > > -- > Some things in life it just gets too late to learn . . . --Bob Dylan ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:04:17 -0700 From: "Mark Scott" Subject: Re: article on Mercer book and JM (and L.Cohen) - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Flynn" > Her aesthetic judgments are supported by analyses of songs (e.g. > "Leader of > the Band," "You're So Vain"). I guess no matter how many other songs Carly has written, she will always be judged by the mega-hit. sigh. Mark in Seattle ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:32:47 -0400 From: David Phillips Subject: john kelly channeling Joni in the New Yorker See this week's New Yorker for a profile of John Kelly, channeling Joni by complaining about being under-appreciated in a New Yorker profile. djp ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2009 #210 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe