Blue

The first piece of music I want to talk about on this blog is probably my favourite album of all time — Blue by Joni Mitchell. In my opinion, it's not just my favourite, but the greatest album ever made. It’s 10 tracks long and runs for just 36 minutes, making it a short but incredibly impactful record — and “impactful” is honestly an understatement in my case.

To put it briefly, I found it incredibly impactful due to the raw writing and vocals, as well as the acoustic instrumentation they glide across. It’s pure poetry from start to finish — a common thread in Joni’s music.

My first major highlight on the album is track 3 — Little Green. On this track, Joni shares something that very few artists — especially from her time — would feel comfortable discussing: her struggles with putting her daughter up for adoption. She pairs this vulnerability with a light, delicate instrumental made up of just acoustic guitar and piano. It’s the perfect way to convey the bittersweet sadness she felt during this period of her life.

My second highlight is track 6 — California. This track, alongside Carey, carries a more upbeat feel compared to some of the earlier songs. It brings a sense of hope to the otherwise somber themes of the album, reflecting on her time spent away from home. Like Little Green, it holds a bittersweet outlook — a feeling many of us can relate to.

My third and final highlight is track 8 — River. This is one of Joni’s most well-known songs, and for good reason — it’s absolutely phenomenal, and deeply relatable. It tells the story of a relationship gone wrong, with Joni blaming herself for its collapse. Set at Christmastime, she reflects on how her shortcomings drove her lover away. Unable to escape the sadness, she wishes for a river to “skate away on” — something to carry her away from the lingering pain of lost love. But the river never comes, as the place where she’s living “stays pretty green.” With this, she turns to the idea of leaving it all behind — taking her money and stepping away from the chaos of the music industry.

It’s immensely difficult to express just how much I love this album with only three highlights — but I don’t want to ramble on forever. Blue has had a profound impact on me, and it’s going to receive the first of very few perfect ratings I’ll be giving out on here.

Please give it a listen, along with some of Joni’s other incredible records like Court and Spark and Hejira — they’re absolutely worth your time.

I hope this made for a good first post, and that you enjoyed reading it. I’ve never done anything like this before, so feel free to leave feedback and share your thoughts on the album too!