Ah Joni…
Like everyone else I had first heard a few Joni songs from her 1960's acoustic era. But I only really discovered Joni when she went electric at the time of Court and Spark (70's). Great songs, slick production, and top musicians.
With the consumate ease of the great singer songwriter talents Joni has reinvented herself and her music in every decade since. As she herself says...
I won my Grammy in the 90’s so why does everyone think I’m a 60’s artist?
OK, so some would say you have to be Gay or a chick to be into Joni. So what! If she puts me in touch with my feminine side so be it. I have always said it was a travesty that women don’t rule the World. It would be a better place. I say Joni for Prez!
Who is the greatest songwriter of the 20th Century?
If we only judged artistes by their sales figures then Lennon and McCartney might come out on top. But, if you asked songwriters the same question they would probably all concede that Joni is!
She has very respectable sales figures (despite having shunned fame) but she operates on a higher, and purer, level. She is the songwriter's songwriter.
Joni has been underrated by casual record buyers but serious music fans worship her. To meet her, musically speaking, is to love her!
We evangelise her because she takes you to a place only Joni can take you. She is 'one of one'.
She is a genre to herself, a blend of complex melodies, lyrics and unique rhythms.
She is the great American songbook personified. In the tradition of the wandering minstrels she draws us into tales of the human condition, with journeys into her soul.
Joni's Lyrics
Joni's Lyrics are what sets her apart. Sheer Poetry.
Becker and Fagan (Steely Dan), Dylan are her contemporaries, but she even eclipses them.
Visceral, iconic, raw, and heartfelt are all adjectives that have been used to describe Joni's lyrics.
We are stardust
We are golden
Billion year old carbon
Caught in the devil's bargain
And we've got to get ourselves
back to the garden
Kris Kristopherson, on hearing Blue, said...
jeez Joni, can't you leave something for yourself!
Kristopherson meant that she gave us everything. No other artist exposes their soul this way, and it's an amazing soul to behold
Conclusion
I have all her Cd’s, having also bought them on vinyl (and some on tape too!). Essential Joni is Blue (California, I’m coming home..), Court and Spark, Dog Eat Dog, Taming the Tiger, Shine and every other album, they’re all great!