It’s 1966, you’re live on stage, the cameras are rolling, and then Joni Mitchell…

[FrankHudson]

Another thread mentioned Jimmy Driftwood this morning, and I remembered one of my favorite video clips of all time. Driftwood could be more remembered. He was a fine songwriter from back in the days when “Country and Western” and “Folk Music” had a good deal of cross-over.

So, this clip starts off in full “A Mighty Wind” folk-scare mode with its theme song being sung by all on stage and in the audience. The program’s host is longtime broadcaster and folk singer Oscar Brand. To his right, in a snazzy dark turtleneck is a singer/guitarist named Bob Jason. To Brand’s left is Joni Mitchell. And to Mitchell’s left is Jimmy Driftwood, with the funky guitar that was mentioned in that other thread – but here’s the thing to remember: Driftwood is a songwriter.




The clip jumps to Mitchell’s section of the show. She starts off “Urge for Going” and within the first verse the camera catches Driftwood’s face wordlessly saying “What!? This is a whole ‘nother level of songwriting.” Brand is the broadcast pro, he looks professional, less transparent with what he’s feeling than Driftwood. Poor Bob Jason looks like he’s thinking, “I’m going on with my slot soon. I gotta look like I belong, but am I anywhere near that good?”

[endpin]

They didn't put much effort in the fine art of "camera-blocking" which generally avoids things like that!

[westview]

Priceless! Saw just a hint of panic. What am I doing here?
At least they can say they were on stage and sang with Joni Mitchell.
Oh yea, and Joni sang a good song.

[mr. beaumont]

I'm not really sure there's superlatives strong enough for how good Joni is.

She's one of those artists I'm literally thankful that someone said to me "here, you should listen to this."

[Borderdon]

Somebody with extraordinary abilities right from day one, Ms. Mitchell is rightfully a treasure.
The music of my youth, I remember Tom Rush covering that.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

So, this clip starts off in full “A Mighty Wind” folk-scare mode with its theme song being sung by all on stage and in the audience.

The clip jumps to Mitchell’s section of the show. She starts off “Urge for Going” ...

Urge for Going is her equivalent to Never Did no Wanderin'.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Borderdon

Somebody with extraordinary abilities right from day one, Ms. Mitchell is rightfully a treasure.
The music of my youth, I remember Tom Rush covering that.

There's an even older (?) clip out there where she's introduced as Joni Anderson, her married name at the time.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by DavidE

There's an even older (?) clip out there where she's introduced as Joni Anderson, her married name at the time.

She'd only been "Joni Mitchell" (married name) for about a year at the time of the show. That earlier clip she did (same show, different episode) she did one original that was mediocre as I recall. By the time we get this one and "Urge for Going." She's there! That's a masterclass in good lyric writing,* and musically it's well, Joni Mitchell.

*Yes, it uses a couple of "Sixties Folk Song tropes"-- the transient love/seasons thing and the I got to be movin' on thing (though with the twist of "I never seem to go" twist)

[reeve21]

Thank you, Frank, that song quite wonderful. I found Joni through the back door via her shadows and light band and the Mingus album. I’ve never really studied her earlier stuff but it sure seems like it’s worth a deep exploration. Thanks again!

[davidbeinct]

That was a great clip and your analysis of the reactions seems spot on to me. It reminds me of the time my wife and I went to see Diana Krall. She was of course spectacular and her interpretations of the great American songbook were wonderful. After a set of mostly moon June spoon lyricism she played A Case of You. It’s hard to overstate the emotional impact of Joni’s lyrics dropped into her set like she did.

[J Patrick]

….great vid….I’ve had urge for going in my repertoire for 40 plus years….I bust it out in late October every year….noticeably missing is my favorite third verse…perhaps omitted for time or maybe written afterwards….Joni Mitchell is in my book the greatest songwriter AND musician that came out of the folk boom of the sixties….Mr Zimmerman notwithstanding

[Everton FC]

Great find - and there are so many other shows available on Youtube, as well!

Thanks for this...

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by Borderdon

Somebody with extraordinary abilities right from day one, Ms. Mitchell is rightfully a treasure.
The music of my youth, I remember Tom Rush covering that.

Legend has it that Joni sang it to him over the phone and when he sang the song, she was ''discovered''.

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Legend has it that Joni sang it to him over the phone and when he sang the song, she was ''discovered''.

….I don’t reckon I’m buying that one…..…no doubt Tom Rush recording not one but three of her songs and even naming the album Circle Game in 1968 helped Joni Mitchell’s career a bit…..but he hardly discovered her….she’d been on the scene in the US for three years by then and even longer in Canada….no doubt they played the same clubs in those years…..Clouds was released a year later in 69 and by the time Ladies of the Canyon came out in 1970 she was a folk superstar…..talent like hers doesn’t get discovered….it imposes itself on the world….

As an interesting side note Tom Rush only wrote two of the songs on Circle Game….Joni wrote three….James Taylor wrote 2 Jackson Browne wrote one Charlie Rich wrote one and Billy Hill wrote one…..

[1after909]

That was classic and thanks for sharing as I had never seen that. As another had mentioned Joni is a treasure and a pure genius on so many levels…Writing performing playing singing, her varied tunings and let’s not forget her painting. She was recently seen at the Grammys, which was nice to see after having some rough previous years..