3 Joni Mitchell Songs From 1971 That Changed Songwriting as We Know It

Joni Mitchell’s entire discography is something to behold and something that every singer-songwriter out there can draw inspiration from. However, Mitchell’s legendary album Blue, out in 1971, was bursting at the seams with vulnerability that frightened even her contemporaries. Kris Kristofferson famously (allegedly) said “God, Joan, save something of yourself,” after hearing the record for the first time. Let’s take a look at a few Joni Mitchell tracks from her 1971 album Blue that changed songwriting in the folk world forever.

“A Case Of You”

This is “the song” for a lot of singer-songwriters who followed in Mitchell’s footsteps from the mid-1970s onward. “A Case Of You” is a poetic tune that beautifully breaks down the contradictions that come with being in love. It’s insanely relatable, and yet, few musicians have managed to capture what Mitchell was talking about the same way she did. “A Case Of You” could easily be seen as her greatest song.

“A Case Of You” wasn’t released as a single at the time and thus didn’t chart. Despite this, the song remains a favorite among countless Mitchell fans.

“River”

In the same vein as “A Case Of You”, Mitchell managed to turn something insanely personal into a song that a lot of people could relate to with “River”. In a strange way, it has become a holiday favorite for a lot of people, considering the song references Christmas. But the song itself is a heartbreaker about wanting to leave a doomed relationship. If anything, Mitchell proved that even gut-wrenching, heartbreaking songs can have commercial appeal.

“River”, like “A Case Of You”, was shockingly not released as a single off Blue.

“Little Green”

I know that this particular track from the 1971 album Blue took an insane amount of courage for Joni Mitchell to write; and in turn, it has become one of the most inspiring examples of songwriting from its era. “Little Green” was written by Mitchell about the real-life daughter she placed for adoption. Despite the incredibly heavy themes, “Little Green” has a level of restraint that few songwriters could master. Mitchell made it look easy.

I can’t say I’m surprised that this heavy track wasn’t released as a single off Blue, but it remains a beloved entry in Mitchell’s discography nonetheless.

Photo by Don Smith/Radio Times via Getty Images