Happy Birthday Joni Mitchell: 5 best hits of the Canadian-American musician

Joni Mitchell, the legendary Canadian-American singer-songwriter celebrates her 80th birthday today. The 10-time Grammy winning artist came from humble beginnings and has made a distinct mark in the music industry.

Sh was born on 7th November, 1943 in Fort McLeod, a small town in the Southern part of Canada. At the young age of 9, she was afflicted with polio and was hospitalised as well.

During her time in school, Mitchell was not interested in the traditional subjects that were taught and found her passion in music and arts. After contracting polio, her left hand became very weak because of which she had to tune her guitar in a certain manner to compensate for the same.

As her fans celebrate her birthday today, let’s take a look at her 5 best songs:

Urge For Going

This song talks about a sense of longing and the want of going somewhere unknown and different from where one already is residing. According to reports, Mitchell wrote this song at a time when she wanted to move away from her home country of Canada to somewhere it was a bit warmer. The song apparently helped her in doing exactly what she wanted to do.

Night In The City

Mitchell performed this song during one of her earliest appearances on television during the 1960s. The track is a dedication to a place called Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, Canada where there is an intense local music hub.

Michael From Mountains

This song is an inspiration from Mitchell’s relationship with a Colorado-based musician named Michael Durbin. The track talks about a couple who are taking a walk in the rain during the morning. The song also has a melancholic taste as it states that Michael will soon go back to mountains where he came from which has made it a fan favourite.

Both Sides, Now

This song became a hit during a time when Mitchell didn’t even record an entire album of her own. The track talks about Mitchell’s own aspirations and the gap between illusion and reality while the tune was able to pull the emotional chords of the listeners with its heartbreaking tonalities.

For Free

This song was released at a time when Mitchell was thinking about the pitfalls of her own stardom that she had achieved. This song, a mesmerising piano ballad, talks about the ever-going topic of art and commerce, and has resonated with the audience since the time of its release until now.

Mitchell’s breakthrough moment came in 1967 when acclaimed American singer-songwriter David Crosby saw her performing at a nightclub. He was instantly taken in by Mitchell’s unique voice and introduced her to numerous music producers. In 1968, Mitchell released “Song to a Seagull,” her debut music album.

FAQs:

Q1. Who is David Crosby?
Ans1. David Van Cortlandt Crosby was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was part of the famed music group called Byrds who pioneered folk rock and psychedelia music.

Q2. What is Joni Mitchell’s net worth?
Ans2. As per reports, Joni Mitchell has a net worth of $150 million.