She was 22 not a teen, but neither homeless and he stayed with her after but told her he would not marry her or be a father for their daughter, and THAT felt like all else was empty to ever done with him. Eventually he left so she was spared from being the ass kicker. She had a job but that would not last soon, and hospital, etc nor be able to pretend she was married in the long run (at that time an stigma that closed you many doors, even for job openings you really needed ever more, as if your credit were almost that a step closer to another one that worked the streets, even to get out into str8 jobs) and those jobs for single young ladies would not sustain both alone herself. Daycares didnt exist really, but other ladies paid for it as maids or nannies. Forget about telling her parents she became a "fallen woman" 1964 still didnt believe or even understood in the Summer of Love, for free, that was very proper and even more polite Canada still in the 50's as many in Bible belts of USA, for another decade or longer... And as Joni had confessed a few times, her artistry didnt come out because she even believed in it or was leaning that way in the Arts (she was into painting being very visual herself and musical ear too but only as audience not in the other side as maker), but forced by necessity to make some bucks in independent gigs freelancing once her first husband also went frog on her, all b herself and in a quick tempo she honed her skills on her own self taught ways, a blessing. But like some proverbial greatest chefs of all time, once on the apron and getting a spoon and pot (as she said "I discovered I could be good at this, but I had no idea I had the gift for it, that came slowly the realization") these moved from serving cold sandwiches or recipes from others into the "improving" from others' own and make things in new ways. Specially, after she was allowed a sight into the big leagues and observed what the big boys like Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan and her boyfriend in CSN (who gave her a hand in the Indusrty to be signed into records) could do with their skills, and she absorbed like a vacuum or computer data processing, growing fast like a Natural, but not mimicking or playing along nor alike those tall sports players leagues, she turned it into something off this planet to places only a "Neo" kind can start to believe, and others cant go but just listen. The Lady was a born natural alike Mike Oldfield, who in my opinion Im convinced he is a Savant in music, like those children as Mozart, who like Joni are shown to play and soon are speaking in tongues in it, touched by the HG to since before their birth. As Joni reflected on how it all happened to her Art, all came to be like a set of chain reaction changes and yes truly setbacks and that led her to join Music making and performing and a whole new life form that made of her a new person

@@pendragonU wow. . .just wow

She gave her child up to focus on her career.

@@relaxingsounds1386 Not true at all. As she has said "there was no career at that time". Glad her daughter got a good home instead of going into foster care.

In today's sick world she would just kill it.........Abortion is murder

I'm 65 and young women still look at me

@@edmundooliver7584 Lucky you. I became invisible to young women around 50.

@@thelakeman5207 don't worry about it now, you're better off without them.

@@DaleRC75 no, but they hate me or love me I still have all my black hair.

And for me, far more poetic and beautiful than Dylan. Where is her Nobel?????

I agree. I consider her the best poet and musician ever. I started listening to her 1972 at 16- never been the same. My 33 yr. old daughter loves her as well.

​@@helenamaria710Far more? Far more? I don't think so. Who is ahead would be debatable. Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Kate Bush, Van Morrison, Gordon Lightfoot have work that is extremely good as wel

@@johncowper7982 Joni Mitchell is great but she hasn't got the width of styles that Dylan has conquered with elan. And she went jazz and l can't stand jazz in any of it's incarnations. Kate Bush's body of work is also superior. IMNSHO Tell me about Dylan's great work from the 90s, 00s and even just recently.

@@helenamaria710cause Dylan is better than

Universal humanity? What about her medical fascism on vaccine mandates. The mask slipped...her and NY..Will never be forgiven

Listen to this song for years but never really understood sugar mountain

My first time hearing circle game by Joni Mitchell what an awesome artist she was and Neil Young

Still love their music to this day I am 60 years old

I am now 71 years old, one wonders just where all that times goes along with wishing that I had done more with that time, but thankfully I am still alive and can still try to make each and everyday better then the day before . What else can you do except to strive to do just a bit better each day and I always try to make people smile or laugh just to try to brighten up their day. Does not always work but what else can you do? I can only hope to help someone try to have a better day!!!!!

I definitely agree.

Joni’s music is just bland without the lyrics.

It was, a thought that soon would see 4 dead in Ohio, 11 bayonetted at UNM, and more walks into the life. Many opted out, went on a permanent hiatus to places unknown.

Christian Gasior I don't know how someone could listen to Hejira or Court and Spark and still think that. I'd understand not liking it but it's definitely not bland, there's a ton going on.

@@christiangasior4244 Joni's melodies and harmonies were so good they are in a class of their own. Her voice was magnificent She was a great guitar player and arranger as well. She also played the piano, was a painter and she was beautiful. She definitely fired on all 8 cylinders.

Add Cohen to the list

@@LageKZfaq Canadian singer/songwriters specifically

@@dee1955 Ok what don't know how I didn't notice that

Gordon Lightfoot also

And Burton Cummings

S Sligh hell yeah

Joni Mitchell is, in my opinion, the most consistently producer of exceptional songs-both lyrically and musically-of at least the last one hundred years. From 1969 with "Both Sides, Now" to "Hana" in 2007 listen to the complexity of the chords, rhythm, melody, and her arrangements there is simply a level of sophistication that most popular music rarely approaches. Cheers, Alan Tomlinson P.S. If for some reason, you don't agree with me, please feel free to continue to live in ignorance.

What the hell is the "modern era"? Can you give an example from before? Kind hard to do from before recordings were possible. Just say "best ever!"

+ Phillip Hiller: I guess I have the opposite take on those two. Besides "Circle Game," there's Both Sides Now Free Man in Paris Cary (Get Out Your Cane) Michael from Mountains Night in the City For Free Chelsea Morning etc. Every one an exceptional composition, musically and lyrically. They never fail to get me humming/singing along, even if only in my head. Infectious! Somehow, I just can't relate much to most of Neil's works. Fred

Absolutely

I did the same. I had to buy a new one. I liked the blue sleeve in the original. The new one had a white sleeve.

@@murrayarmstrong499 I didn't know that - thanks 🙏

I wore the grooves out on Blue at the age of 15! I learned to sing well by singing over and over and over with Joni. Eventually I achieved 3 1/2 octave range thanks to the challenge of singing to Blue.

@@NBportofino I LOVE THAT!!! Great story! My favorite song was the title track - I was actually 19, June, '71, in the Navy, and just arrived at my first Duty Station, NAS JAX. Was broke up from my GF in Philly, living alone, and as lonely and blue as I could be. Joni became something like my new GF, and we sang to each other, too. Every song on that album resonated with me. Funny corollary - I was a big Jethro Tull fan, and I taught myself to play the flute at night on guard duty out in the woods. Doing that led to me auditioning into a BFA Music program at Penn State in '74.

@@edfederoff2679 you taught yourself to play the flute?!! That’s so cool 😎. I loved Jethro Tull too. I saw them in concert in LA somewhere. Don’t remember because I saw practically everyone back then. Except for Joni. But…I’m executive producing a reality show starring Wynonna Judd and her husband Cactus Moser and Wynonna just performed with Brandi Carlisle at the Newport Folk Festival. It was a tribute to Joni and she performed with them. Sadly her range is gone due to a stroke. Wynonna loves Joni and Brandi recorded Blue herself. Check it out. Wy had a framed pic on her desk of herself with Joni. So jealous. Six degrees of separation

Sure, but these days Joni is just a nut-case with imaginary Morgellons Disease. It's hard to listen to hear her songs now without thinking about it.

JCO2002 I don’t find it too difficult

+ Russkiy Deutsch: Well, for one thing, CSNY would be just CSN, like they were at first. Which is actually very, very good! Fred

@Fred I came here on this for the about 7 Billion simple descendants of the first human beings not being a monkey who are on the beautiful historic road to peace in the different sovereign nations of the United Nations just until the end of times living in PEACE without one drop of senseless blood shedding war at the happy digital internet after the search with the very fast searching machine “Google” ‘Music until the end of times not about senseless blood shedding war but instead of this until the end of times about peace on the beautiful peaceful world on the historic beautiful peaceful road to peace in the beautiful peaceful UN PEACE PALACE in the Hague in the beautiful Western former colonial business as usual the beautiful Royal Kingdom the Netherlands on the beautiful peaceful world on the beautiful peaceful planet Earth in the beautiful peaceful Universe’. What you are in answer to Russkiy Deutsch, who said “They’re such amazing artists, I couldn’t imagine what music would be without them.” stating “Well, for one thing, CSNY would be just CSN, like they were at first. Which is actually very, very good!”, is actually the matter with all about 7 Billion simple descendants of the first human beings not being a monkey for the simple reason that all about 7 Billion simple descendants of the first human beings not being a monkey who are on the beautiful historic road to peace in the different sovereign nations of the United Nations just until the end of times in the by Joni Mitchell described Circle Game in her happy response to Neil Young living in PEACE on the happy digital internet with the many inspiring anti-war and anti-cyber war quotes and outside the happy digital internet without one drop of senseless blood shedding war, this already for the simple reason that a beautiful peace world makes a peaceful life on the beautiful peaceful planet Earth in the beautiful peaceful Universe for everybody of course much easier, which beautiful peaceful world on the beautiful planet Earth in the beautiful peaceful Universe will of course make until the end of times make in the vanities of the vanities where there is nothing new under the sun the predictable rounds around the sun. But it will be in the history of mankind until the end of times of course for Mr. Crosby, Mr. Stills and Mr. Nash in the by the happy Joni Mitchell described happy Circle Game just an mission impossible to imagine how they would have sounded as good without Mr. Young.

+ Theo Benschop: All I'm saying is that CSN sounded spectacularly innovative and wonderful before they brought Neil aboard. Have you heard their first album (CSN, that is)? It was ground-breaking at the time; it garnered both critical and popular acclaim. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (said to refer to Judy Collins); Wooden Ships (which was also covered by Jefferson Airplane); Guinevere; Marrakesh Express; etc. And at least one later album CSN recorded without Young, _Daylight Again,_ was also an excellent piece of work. In other words, we don't have to imagine what they would have sounded like without Neil Young - *we have actual examples, and they are wonderful!* This is not meant to cast any aspersions on Neil; their second album, with all 4 of them, is also one of the all-time greats. That's all I'm saying. I'm not entirely sure what you're saying; it doesn't seem to be entirely coherent. Fred

Not omitted by me.

Yes for a short time there he had an open line to magic . I think his narcissism and success has now convinced him every thing he does is great, which it just isn't. He would never write over 100 verses to pare it down to 4 now.

@@TheNaturalust other artists would love to write like Neil. Neil over 1200 songs. Twice as many as Dylan, More than McCartney, Springsteen, Petty, Clapton, Led Zeppelin Etc........

@@artvallejos1460 Not sure what that means. There is no correlation between quality and quantity and artists can ever only write like themselves. I've listened to ALL of Neil's stuff, he's actually my close neighbor although he's not here much anymore. I stick to my assertion. 😎

@@TheNaturalust all of his stuff is great. even if he doesn't think so. Time Fades Away. L A , uptight, City in The Smog City in The Smog, don't you wish you could be here too.

Sage advice. I'll ignore all of it. 👍👍👍👍👍👍

Sin was my downfall.

Robert - thank you for your eloquence of wise words... love NEVER fails... fellow feeling is vital for all of us... costs nothing to be considerate and caring ...

But now the days are short - I'm in the autumn of the year. And now I think of my life as vintage wine from fine old kegs. From the brim to the dregs - it poured sweet and clear - it was a VERY good year.

That is true; the thing about time. A year when you are 20 is so long, you do so much. Now ( 57) if I don't work to make shit happen, a year can go by so quick. Just gotta use it to keep one motivated....

Jimmy John honest

Dynamite sammiches, and freakin' fast delivery! Sorry J.J., I really couldn't help myself!

You will if you are fortunate. And you will look back with wonder at what was so important is now humorous. Youth is wasted on the young -- Like most things, you can't appreciate how special it is until it is no more.

But when you look at your life, you'll be a lot like they were.

You should listen to Lost Highway by Hank Williams. I first heard it when I was 21 and now at almost 30 I still adore it. If you check it out let me know what you think!

Crushenator500 hey thanks for the recommendation. Definitely a great song.

No problem, I'm glad you liked it!

was that a part 5 anime reference? (yes it comes out in october)

Hi

Not nice, ridiculous. I hoped to hear a duet by the two number one singer-songwriters of my youth. Maybe of all time. Instead we got still photos with the lyrics interrupted unnecessarily by a jerk who thinks he can explain the obvious. - Dragging my feet at 71.

Except of course, Joni Mitchell. And as far as she's concerned, then some, as the comparison of these two songs proved. She's the one who's truly unparalleled.

Me too... I feel the same about him. He’s one of my dearest old friends, 💞💐💞💐💞💐💞💐

@@dereathjohnna doubt he's your friend he wasn't anyone's friend very long, esle he be truly seen

@@donnahall3902 same and I don't think your missing anything. Not sure why her name got mixed in with so many prolific artist. I mean songwriting is extremely difficult and I think her talent as a writer is well beyond her abilities as a performer but I'm sure there are many who disagree. I'm just a simple fella. Give me some early Allman's, Leon Russell, Neil & Derek & the Dominos & I'm happy.

Neil got caught up with being a professional complainer about politics that really hurt his later career. He is my favorite all time but please play your music and not preach at us.

It happened to me too.I'm 66.It always gets me!😥

I'm almost 65 & have lived through many losses of dreams, including the death of a beloved 5 year old grandson.

You and me and thousands others. The song is known for this effect. Joni's music has a way of transmitting directly to one's core. This is just perhaps the most obvious example. She's a true genius. Probably the most broadly talented artist of our lifetime. Singer, Composer, poet-lyricist, guitar player, piano player, painter - absolutely brilliant and unique in all of these, and probably more that I'm forgetting. I'm 63 in 2 days!

Not necessarily. As a “senior” adult (I’m 71), and even though my body won’t agree with me, I really enjoy the wisdom I’ve attained through the years. I realize now the crap I wasted my younger years on and, while I certainly wouldn’t change any of it (‘cause some of it was awesome) I do enjoy the things that I have and have become quite a lot. The fewer years you have to look forward to the more you’re likely to cherish the ones you have left.

I’ve never wanted to be a child or teen again. Those were terrible years for me. But that just supports Joni’s point. It’s a circle. There’s nothing inherently good or bad about any age. It’s up and down.

Existential crisis? CALL 1-800-

Welcome to the party! It gets better; it could always be worse. Whatcha bringing?

You’re just a sentient being _suffering_ as a virtual slave to your will to life.

True. But. That didn't help.

You are welcome, I'm sure. Get a grip.

both from the Canadian prairies. I can see the neighbourhood Neil grew up in from my condo window now

That's why we correct Canadians. And it's soccer. Not football.

TheBatugan77 chill bro. our american football is played in like. 3 countries. let the rest of the world have this one; we’re already big enough laughingstocks

@@denniscross5588 neil is from ontario.

is that your sum of knowledge aboot canada?

along with Leonard Cohen Gordon Lightfoot (one of The Bob's favourite song writers)

@@snidelywhiplash8399 Add Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel,Garth Hudson and Levon Helm (He's American but gets honorary citizenship) to that list.

Aye agreed eh, Joni & Neil double-double national treasures

@@snidelywhiplash8399 Might as well mention Bachman / Cummings

SideTripLife We Canucks have a wealth of music talent as mentioned. I apologize for the other genre of music I’m not familiar with but Liona Boyd a world renowned classical guitarist, Bruce Cockburn, Hank Snow and the truest Canadian, Stomping Tom Connors, “C eh N eh D eh! Canada’s our land...sorry, so sorry, got carried away!

I wish they had had a child together

Dear God, moron arrives with the Underrated bomb!

Reed Baldwin You just perfectly described why Joni Mitchell is one of my favorite, if not, my favorite musician.

Beautifully put. I always feel a sense of peace listening to Joni's music more so than other songwriters from her era. She has a way of making the profound and complex sound so pure and simple.

I love finding over people who love Joni

William Talbot Same. Sometimes it feels as if Joni doesn't get as much praise for her songwriting as Dylan does. She's a marvel.

June Asiimwe Honestly I personally think she’s a far superior songwriter to Dylan but that’s just my opinion

Both songs brought me to tears.

You're gonna' live to be 105 ..... Quit fooling around .....

I definitely agree, Joni is also one of the greatest lyricists.

No way is he underappreciated, nor is Joni. Not by my generation that is for sure. LOL.

Neil Young is the greatest singer songwriter to ever live. His lyrics so simple, clean and pure. Even better than Leonard Cohen, far better than Dylan. I don't think he's underappreciated, as he thankfully has had a lot of renewed interest and spotlight lately. I like Rush and think Neil Peart is an excellent lyricist and story teller.

kinda of bizarre comparing NY to Neil Peart...it's like comparing Ernest Hemingway to Isaac Asimov. But I do like them both.

Michael Levine, Yes, Neil Young is a great singer/songwriter. Better than Dylan? Ridiculous. Dylan is the greatest singer/songwriter in the history of folk and rock. No one else is close. Neil Young not even in the discussion.

Of course, perhaps most important - Joni found her child, and her family, and I expect that fulfills her soul. I surely hope so!

Joni met her perfect soul mate when she was with Graham Nash. She’s happy to be free.

Ian Tyson

Brandon King don't forget Neil's rejoinder, "Alabama."

No.... please no. People make such a big deal of Skynyrd's "response". But what do they really have to say to the profound moral accusations of Southern Man? "A southern man don't need him around anyhow." What boorish ignorance. The whole song just says how great things are for white people down there, and so what if they treat blacks like animals in order for it to be so. It's reflected all over the US with the "America: Love It or Leave It" mentality. No sense of justice, just a "Watcha gonna do about it?" hubris.

Yeah, they were assholes but mighty fine musicians.

I thought someone might mention that.

@@pathfinder1273 What's your point?

man I love that record too. a very special time in my life.

My favorite!

Apparently Prince was a big fan of that album.

I look that one up for a listen; I'd forgotten it. I've always esp liked her "Court and Spark" album; with songs like "Raised On Robbery," "Free Man in Paris," and on views on love. Last winter I happened on "The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines," a funny and jazzy collab between Joni and Chick Corea with a very famous bass player, last name begins with "P" whose name i've temp forgotten.

@@carlcushmanhybels8159 Pastorius? Jaco Pastorius. Unfortunately he died in a pub brawl. Amazing guitarist but a bit of a loose unit.

Glad you found your way in the light