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This year it's done again. For almost two months, the media bombardment has been relentless: be good, good enough to make you sick, and above all, keep buying more and more useless trinkets. Be as good as the child in the pandoro commercial, with that deformed jaw and that bleat already set according to the worst Sanremo standards, used to remind us several times a day that it's Christmas and we can give (or do?) more, a bit like his three big brothers Morandi, Tozzi & Ruggeri used to say, if I remember correctly. Or as good as the statuesque model with a much more expressive rear than face, who with a Stan and Ollie accent continues to assure us that everything is around us, as long as we use a certain phone. There are no remedies: it's the Market, sacred and untouchable, and it doesn't matter if the invitation to squander bonuses clashes with the pittance, and sometimes lack, of the same. However, developing allergic reactions is still possible. This year, for example, every time a barrage of "Jingle Bells" from imbecile children's choirs is fired by the TV sellers' caravan, my acoustic nerves absorb it and convert it into similar piano notes, but much more distinct, intense, and above all much more adult. Notes that suggest another way of waiting for Christmas, wishing for a frozen river to skate on freely, perhaps to find a way to mend a difficult relationship with an adopted and somewhat neglected daughter.
It is the Christmas piano introduction of "River," one of the many gems that make "Blue" (1971) a historical record, without a doubt the peak of Joni Mitchell's acoustic phase and for many her absolute masterpiece. Personally, I prefer the subsequent turn with refined jazz contributions, which culminates in the incomparable "Hejira," but it's a matter of taste. In "Blue," two great groups of songs alternate, competing in a fascinating beauty contest. One is made up of poignant duets between Joni's piano and voice, which at times reach heights of intensity and passion almost akin to lieder. The other consists of elegant acoustic ballads balancing between West Coast style and Latin influences, and here James Taylor's guitar stands out, deliberately sparse, sometimes metallic like a Greek bouzouki, an ideal complement both to Joni's bright trills and to her darker, hoarser shades. Again, the level is such that preferences are a matter of taste: those like me who are classicophiles and piano lovers will tend to favor the songs of the first group, which doesn't detract a gram from the value of the others. Among the splendid "piano confidences" that Joni's voice gives us, besides the already mentioned "River," "Blue" stands out, a true poetry framed by delicate and captivating chords. "Songs are like tattoos" the first verse says, and it's a guarantee: once heard, it truly remains indelible in memory. In "My Old Man," the alternation is beautiful between the burst of happiness, with soprano high notes, of the most loving verses, and the abrupt melancholic twist of the refrain ("But when he's gone..."), with the vibrant voice suddenly shadowed. "The Last Time I Saw Richard," a true dialogue in song form, uses the lower registers of the piano and voice to recount a finished love in the clearest and most conversational tone possible. Even though the two themes "love" and "freedom", with their often unresolved contrast, are the basis of almost all the songs, in the guitar ballads, freedom tends to prevail, expressing itself in the need for travel, for vast spaces, which fits perfectly with the West Coast musical tradition. The only but notable exception is "A Case Of You," where James Taylor's essential guitar leaves the maximum space for Joni's voice, which highlights the state of grace of a total love, absolute as a blood bond. The cult of travel as a symbol of freedom is expressed from the start, with the insistent repetition of the word "travelling" in the brilliant "All I Want," which prepares us to fill up with new horizons to discover in "Carey" and "California," not coincidentally the two most serene songs on the album, with their clear Latin colors. But "This Flight Tonight" shatters any illusion and, while dealing with a journey, brings the eternal love-freedom conflict back to the forefront with its inner torments, well expressed by music full of tension. James Taylor's guitar, so far metallic and nervous, calms in "Little Green," a concentrate of tenderness capable of moving the most hardened hearts, a brief interlude where the sweet green of spring for a moment imposes itself over the dark color of melancholy, that blue which is not at all "painted blue" but rather a midnight blue, like that of the cover of this poetic and musical masterpiece.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
03 Little Green (03:28)
Born with the moon in Cancer
Choose her a name she'll answer too
Call her green and the winters can not fade her
Call her green for the children who have made her
Little, green, be a gypsy dancer
He went to California
Hearing that everything's warmer there
So you write him a letter, say, "her eyes are blue"
He sends you a poem and she's lost to you
Little, green, he's a non-comformer
Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the night's when the Northern lights perform
There'll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there'll be sorrow
Child with a child pretending
Weary of lies you're sending home
So you sign all the papers in the family name
You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed
Little green, have a happy ending
Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the night's when the Northern lights perform
There'll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there'll be sorrow
04 Carey (03:03)
The wind is in from Africa.
Last night, I couldn't sleep.
Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here, Carey,
But it's really not my home.
My fingernails are filthy.
I've got beach tar on my feet.
And I miss my clean white linen and my fancy French cologne.
Oh, Carey get out your cane, and I'll put on some silver.
Oh, you're a mean old daddy, but I like you.
Come on down to the Mermaid Cafe and I will buy you a bottle of wine.
And we'll laugh and toast to nothing, and smash our empty glasses down.
Let's have a round for these freaks and these soldiers,
A round for these friends of mine.
Let's have another round for the bright red devil, who keeps me in this tourist town.
Oh, Carey get out your cane, and I'll put on some silver.
Oh, you're a mean old daddy, but I like you.
I like you, I like you, I like you.
Maybe I'll go to Amsterdam, or maybe I'll go to Rome.
And rent me a grand piano and put some flowers round my room,
But let's not talk about fare-thee-wells now, the night is a starry dome.
And they're playing that scratchy rock 'n' roll beneath the Matalla moon.
Oh, Carey get out your cane, and I'll put on some silver.
Oh, you're a mean old daddy, but I like you.
The wind is in from Africa.
Last night, I couldn't sleep.
Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here, but it's really not my home.
Maybe it's been too long a time since I was scrambling down in the streets.
Now they got me used to that clean white linen and that fancy French cologne.
Oh Carey get out your cane, and I'll put on my finest silver,
We'll go to the Mermaid Cafe, have fun tonight.
I said, oh, you're a mean old daddy, but you're outta sight.
06 California (03:51)
Sitting in a park in Paris France
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They won't give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldn't want to stay here
It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here
Oh but California
California I'm coming home
I'm going to see the folks I dig
I'll even kiss a Sunset pig
California I'm coming home
I met a redneck on a Grecian isle
Who did the goat dance very well
He gave me back my smile
But he kept my camera to sell
Oh the rogue the red red rogue
He cooked good omelettes and stews
And I might have stayed on with him there
But my heart cried out for you California
Oh California I'm coming home
Oh make me feel good rock 'n' roll band
I'm your biggest fan
California I'm coming home
Oh it gets so lonely
When you're walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
Just give you the blues
Just give you the blues
So I bought me a ticket
I caught a plane to Spain
Went to a party down a red dirt road
There were lots of pretty people there
Reading Rolling Stone reading Vogue
They said "How long can you hang around?"
I said a week maybe two
Just until my skin turns brown
Then I'm going home to California
California I'm coming home
Oh will you take me as I am
Strung out on another man
California I'm coming home
Oh it gets so lonely
When you're walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
More about the war
And the bloody changes
Oh will you take me as I am?
Will you take me as I am?
Will you?
07 This Flight Tonight (02:52)
Look out the left the captain said
The lights down there, that's where we'll land
I saw a falling star burn up
Above the Las Vegas sands
It wasn't the one that you gave to me
That night down South between the trailers
Not the early one
That you can wish upon;
Not the Northern one
That guides in the sailors.
Oh starbright, starbright
You've got the lovin' that I like, all right
Turn this crazy bird around
I shouldn't have got on this flight tonight
You got the touch so gentle and sweet
But you've got that look so critical
Now I can't talk to you baby
I get so weak
Sometimes I think love is just mythical
Up there's a heaven
Down there's a town
Blackness everywhere and little lights shine
Oh, blackness, blackness dragging me down
Come on light the candle in this poor heart of mine.
Oh starbright, starbright
You've got the lovin' that I like, all right
Turn this crazy bird around
I shouldn't hove got on this flight tonight
I'm drinking sweet champagne
Got the headphones up high
Can't numb you out
Can't drum you out of my mind
They're playing "Goodbye baby, Baby Goodbye,
Ooh, ooh, love is blind"
Up go the flaps, down go the wheels
I hope you got your heat turned on baby
I hope they finally fixed your automobile
I hope it's better when we meet again baby
Starbright, starbright
You got the lovin' that I like, all right
Turn this crazy bird around
I shouldn't have got on this flight tonight
08 River (04:05)
It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
But it don’t snow here, it stays pretty green
I’m gonna make a lot of money and then I’m gonna quit this crazy scene
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long I would teach my feet to fly high
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry
He tried hard to help me, you know he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty, made me weak in the knees
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
But I’m so hard to handle, I’m selfish and I’m sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby that I’ve ever had
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Oh I wish I had a river so long I would teach my feet to fly high
Oh I wish I had a river that I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye
It’s coming on Christmas, they’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
09 A Case of You (04:23)
Just before our love got lost you said
I am as constant as a northern star
And I said, constantly in the darkness
Where's that at?
If you want me I'll be in the bar
On the back of a cartoon coaster
In the blue TV screen light
I drew a map of Canada
Oh Canada
With your face sketched on it twice
Oh you're in my blood like holy wine
You taste so bitter and so sweet
Oh I could drink a case of you darling
And I would still be on my feet
Oh I would still be on my feet
Oh I am a lonely painter
I live in a box of paints
I'm frightened by the devil
And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid
I remember that time that you told me, you said
Love is touching souls
Surely you touched mine
Cause part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time
Oh you're in my blood like holy wine
You taste so bitter and so sweet
Oh I could drink a case of you darling
Still I'd be on my feet
I would still be on my feet
I met a woman
She had a mouth like yours
She knew your life
She knew your devils and your deeds
And she said
Go to him, stay with him if you can
But be prepared to bleed
Oh but you are in my blood you're my holy wine
You're so bitter, bitter and so sweet
Oh I could drink a case of you darling
Still I'd be on my feet
I would still be on my feet
10 The Last Time I Saw Richard (04:16)
The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in '68
And he told me all romantics meet the same fate someday
Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe
"You laugh," he said, "You think you're immune,
Go look at your eyes, they're full of moon
You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you
All those pretty lies, pretty lies
When you gonna realize they're only pretty lies
Only pretty lies, just pretty lies"
He put a quarter in the Wurlitzer
And he pushed three buttons and the thing began to whirr
And a bar maid came by in fishnet stockings and a bow tie
And she said, "Drink up now it's gettin' on time to close"
"Richard you haven't really changed," I said,
"It's just that now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head
You got tombs in your eyes, but the songs you punched are dreaming
Listen, they sing of love so sweet, love so sweet
When you gonna go get yourself back on your feet?
Oh love can be so sweet, love so sweet."
Richard got married to a figure skater
And he bought her a dishwasher and a coffee percolator
And he drinks at home now most nights with the TV on
And all the house lights left up bright
I'm gonna blow this damn candle out
I don't want nobody comin' over to my table
I got nothing to talk to anybody about
All good dreamers pass this way some day
Hidin' behind bottles in dark cafes, dark cafes
Only a dark cocoon before I get my gorgeous wings and fly away
Only a phase, these dark cafe days.
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