The first volume of the Joni Mitchell Archives series shed significant light on the beginning of Mitchell’s musical journey, compiling a wealth of unreleased demos, radio broadcasts, and live tapes from the years just before she began making records. The extensive collection painted a detailed picture of Mitchell’s nascent years growing as a songwriter and performer in the independent folkie scene, and Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 2: The Reprise Years 1968-1971 does just as thorough and impressive a job of drawing back the curtain on the lively period surrounding her first four albums.
The collection moves in chronological order, beginning with some rough home demos for songs from 1968 debut Song to a Seagull and its 1969 follow-up, Clouds. Hissy home recordings of tracks like Clouds’ “Roses Blue” offer interesting counterpoint to the more polished studio versions, and documentation of this phase also includes outtakes from the Song to a Seagull sessions.
DISC ONE (01:00:21)
JONI’S HOME DEMO, LATE 1967 / EARLY 1968
01. Midnight Cowboy 02:31
02. The Dawntreader 02:01
03. Song to a Seagull 03:54
04. Midnight Cowboy 03:55
JANE LURIE’S APARTMENT, LATE 1967 / EARLY 1968
05. The Way It Is 03:28
06. Turn Around 01:22
JONI’S HOME DEMO, LATE 1967 / EARLY 1968
07. I Had a King 03:38
08. Roses Blue 03:25
09. The Fiddle and the Drum 03:25
SONG TO A SEAGULL SESSION, JANUARY 24, 1968
10. Jeremy 03:34
11. Conversation 05:01
12. Both Sides Now 04:10
13. The Gift of the Magi 04:18
JANE LURIE’S APARTMENT, EARLY 1968
14. It’s Easy 02:12
15. Another Melody 04:56
LIVE AT CANTERBURY HOUSE, MARCH 10, 1968
16. Introduction 01:02
17. Jeremy 03:40
18. Songs to Aging Children Come 03:47
All songs written by Joni Mitchell.
DISC TWO (01:19:53)
LIVE AT LE HIBOU COFFEE HOUSE, MARCH 19, 1968
01. Night in the City 02:33
02. Come to the Sunshine 03:00
03. Intro to The Pirate of Penance 00:45
04. The Pirate of Penance 03:08
05. Intro to Conversation 00:19
06. Conversation 05:23
07. The Way It Is 03:51
08. Intro to The Dawntreader 00:30
09. The Dawntreader 04:53
10. Marcie 04:39
11. Intro to Nathan La Franeer 00:39
12. Nathan La Franeer 03:15
13. Intro to Dr. Junk 00:33
14. Dr. Junk 02:23
15. Intro to Michael from Mountains 00:31
16. Michael from Mountains 04:07
17. Go Tell the Drummer Man 03:17
18. Intro to I Don't Know Where I Stand 02:55
19. I Don't Know Where I Stand 03:21
20. Intro to Sisotowbell Lane 01:21
21. Sisotowbell Lane 04:15
22. Intro to Ladies of the Canyon 01:47
23. Ladies of the Canyon 03:54
STUDIO SESSION, MAY 31, 1968
24. Come to the Sunshine 02:56
JANE LURIE’S APARTMENT, SUMMER 1968
25. “My Second Album” 02:29
26. “Lambert, Hendricks & Ross” 00:35
27. The Pirate of Penance 02:43
TOP GEAR BBC RADIO BROADCAST, SEPTEMBER 23, 1968
28. Intro to Chelsea Morning 00:14
29. Chelsea Morning [with the John Cameron Group] 02:24
30. Intro to The Gallery 00:25
31. The Gallery 03:51
32. Intro To Night In The City 00:36
33. Night in the City [with the John Cameron Group] 02:22
All songs written by Joni Mitchell.
DISC THREE (01:17:01)
LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL, FEBRUARY 1, 1969
01. Chelsea Morning 02:50
02. A Valentine for Joni 01:12
03. Cactus Tree 04:56
04. Night in the City 02:40
05. I Had a King 04:12
06. Blue Boy 03:06
07. My American Skirt 00:59
08. The Fiddle and the Drum 02:40
09. Spoony’s Wonderful Adventure 01:01
10. That Song About the Midway 05:20
11. Both Sides Now 04:35
12. Marcie 05:01
13. Nathan La Franeer 03:37
14. Intro to The Gallery 01:04
15. The Gallery 04:30
16. Hunter 04:25
17. Morning Morgantown 03:34
18. Intro to Get Together 00:39
19. Get Together (Chet Powers) 05:26
20. Intro to The Circle Game / Little Green 01:23
21. The Circle Game / Little Green 09:03
22. Michael from Mountains 04:49
All songs written by Joni Mitchell unless indicated otherwise.
DISC FOUR (01:17:41)
LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL, FEBRUARY 1, 1969
01. Intro to Urge for Going 01:21
02. Urge for Going 06:02
CLOUDS SESSIONS, MARCH 20, 1969
03. Conversation 05:14
04. Blue Boy 03:34
05. The Priest 03:59
JANE LURIE’S APARTMENT, MID-1969
06. Jesus 02:21
07. Playing Piano and Vocalizing 01:59
THE DICK CAVETT SHOW ABC-TV BROADCAST, AUGUST 18, 1969
08. Chelsea Morning 03:31
09. Willy 03:19
10. For Free 04:16
11. Interview 02:43
12. The Fiddle and the Drum 02:47
LADIES OF THE CANYON DEMO SESSION, LATE 1969
13. Woodstock 05:04
LIVE AT CENTENNIAL AUDITORIUM, NOVEMBER 1, 1969
14. “As I Lie in My Backyard Thinking on August 2nd. . .” 00:59
15. Roses Blue 04:00
16. Rainy Night House 03:31
LADIES OF THE CANYON SESSION, JANUARY 30, 1970
17. Ladies of the Canyon [with cellos] 03:34
LADIES OF THE CANYON SESSION, FEBRUARY 2, 1970
18. Blue Boy [with recorder coda] 03:19
IN CONCERT BBC RADIO BROADCAST, SEPTEMBER 3, 1970
19. All I Want 04:17
BLUE DEMO SESSIONS, SUMMER 1970
20. A Case of You 04:01
21. California 03:34
GREENPEACE BENEFIT CONCERT FOR AMCHITKA, OCTOBER 16, 1970
22. Intro by James Taylor 00:16
23. Big Yellow Taxi / Bony Maronie (Joni Mitchell / Larry Williams) 04:00
All songs written by Joni Mitchell unless indicated otherwise.
DISC FIVE (01:19:19)
IN CONCERT BBC RADIO BROADCAST, OCTOBER 29, 1970
01. Introduction (John Peel) 00:22
02. That Song About the Midway 05:24
03. Intro to The Gallery 00:33
04. The Gallery 04:28
05. Hunter 02:40
06. Intro to River 00:18
07. River 03:40
08. My Old Man 03:55
09. The Priest 04:02
10. “This is a mountain dulcimer” 03:43
11. Carey 03:06
12. A Case of You [with James Taylor] 04:38
13. Intro to California [with James Taylor] 00:15
14. California [with James Taylor] 04:26
15. Intro to For Free [with James Taylor] 00:51
16. For Free [with James Taylor] 04:38
17. Intro to The Circle Game [with James Taylor] 01:41
18. The Circle Game [with James Taylor] 07:23
19. Intro to You Can Close Your Eyes [with James Taylor] 00:40
20. You Can Close Your Eyes [with James Taylor] (James Taylor) 02:54
21. Both Sides Now 03:48
22. Intro to Big Yellow Taxi 00:27
23. Big Yellow Taxi 03:19
BLUE SESSIONS, LATE 1970
24. Hunter 02:57
25. River [with French horns] 04:06
26. Urge for Going [with strings] 05:07
All songs written by Joni Mitchell unless indicated otherwise.
