A towering artist who sold over 9 million albums, earned 10 Grammys, and was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1997, Joni Mitchell also holds the distinction of being the muse to a solid collection of songs that were either directly written about her or were inspired by her.
And these tunes were not penned by any slouches. They were written by musical peers who were just as beloved by their fans as she is by hers.
Graham Nash, in his 2013 memoir Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life, wrote that she “inspired more songs in her wake than anyone I’ve ever known.”
As we celebrate her 82nd birthday, let's review three tunes that were written with her in mind.
"Our House," by Graham Nash (1970)
One of the sweetest, yet mundane and simple love songs ever sung was quickly composed after Joni told her then-beau Graham Nash to get the fireplace roaring.
“One day Joni and I went to breakfast, then to an antique store where she bought a small vase," Nash wrote in Wild Tales. "When we got home she said, ‘Why don’t you light the fire, and I’ll put the flowers in the vase you bought today.’ I sat down at the piano and within an hour, ‘Our House’ was done.”
Although Nash says he grew bored of the tune almost as soon as it was finished, no one else was. It was recorded in '69, released in '70 on CSN&Y's second studio album, Déjà Vu.
It went to #30 in the charts and has had a life of its own in movies (My Girl 2), TV (The Simpsons, Cheers, This Is Us), and commercials (Target, Apple).
Even though they broke up soon after the record was released, Nash (who performed it as recently as last month) says whenever he plays it, he thinks of her.
"Most of the sad songs on those albums are about my relationship with Joni," Nash told the Irish Times in 2022.
When asked if she was the love of his life he said, "well, I'm married to this incredible woman right now, so I could say the very same thing about her, but, yes, in those days she was absolutely the love of my life. It's Joni Mitchell, for fuck's sake! Look at how she looks to start with! Then you put all those songs behind that smile. I didn't stand a fucking chance."
Graham will be at the Town Hall in NYC next month.
Tix available on his website.
"Guinnevere," by David Crosby (1969)
In his 1988 autobiography Long Time Gone, David Crosby wrote that “Guinnevere” was inspired by three women he loved: Joni Mitchell, Christine Hinton, and another unnamed woman.
Crosby recorded with Stephen Stills and Nash on their self-titled debut, released by Atlantic Records in May 1969 before the group’s first major tour. He described it as one of the most personal songs he had written up to that point.
When talking to Rolling Stone in 2019, he referred to Mitchell as “the best of us” and said her influence pushed him creatively but her independence and artistic focus were qualities he loved about her, even when they made their relationship tougher.
A few years earlier, in 2013, Joni told the Los Angeles Times, “David was kind to me in the beginning, and he produced my first record. But when we broke up, I think he was hurt."
She added, "we were all writing about each other back then.”
"You Can Close Your Eyes" by James Taylor (1971)
"I wrote it in a hotel room in Albuquerque, New Mexico," James Taylor said in 2007 about the lullaby "You Can Close Your Eyes" that he wrote in 1970 and released the following year.
"Joni Mitchell and I were together, and I was shooting this film," he continued. "Joni and I were traveling with Warren Oates, a great guy. He was a terrific fellow and a lord of life. He didn't want to travel with the other people on the movie. He had his own camper, and he invited Joni and I to travel with him in this camper.
"And we would, in various states of intoxication. We would drive around the landscape of southwestern United States, the four corners region of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado: beautiful country.
"We went to the hotel Villa Hopi, Indian Village, the oldest continuously inhabited town in North America. We were the last outsiders to see a Snake Dance while tripping on mescaline. Just wow. It was remarkable. It was great.
"And one of those evenings, when we finished shooting for the day, I just remember sitting on a hotel room bed and writing that song. You can close your eyes. It's all right," he said.
The following year, Joni wrote about James in her song "See You Sometime," which appeared on her 1972 album, For the Roses.
James Taylor will hit the road next summer in Europe. First stop: Edinburgh Castle. Get your tickets on his website.
Even though Joni might not be on the road right now, there are many tribute shows centered around her music, including several being held today for her birthday.
Joni is generous to list many of those on her website. Go there to find out if a tribute show is happening near you.
