Joni Mitchell has historically been a master at turning complex, vulnerable emotions into gorgeous songs. It’s what made her such a big deal back in the day; she inspired the singer/songwriter movement to get more personal and deep. And along with that, Joni Mitchell let loose a few complaints that are quite relatable. Let’s look at just three examples that might make you nod your head in agreement.
“Sex Kills” (The World Kind of Sucks)
Joni Mitchell’s complaints about sexism and misogyny weren’t exclusive to the song “Sex Kills” from Turbulent Indigo. However, this song is one of her most in-your-face criticisms of the world at large, and it tackles so much more than the fact that “sex sells everything” and “sex kills.”
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Mitchell digs into all of the bad things about the then-modern-day world, from drugs to environmental destruction to gun-related violence. She observes the world objectively in “Sex Kills”, and few would disagree with what she ultimately says: The world low-key sucks.
“Ethiopia” (Famine and Consumerism Are Bad)
Mitchell used her influence and star power to talk about important political and social movements through her music on more than one occasion. “Ethiopia” from Dog Eat Dog is a noteworthy entry on the long list of politically-charged songs that Mitchell has written.
“Ethiopia” tackles the issue of famine and poverty in various countries, while the wealthier countries in the world overspend and consume nonstop. Mitchell lets it all out on this song, but “Ethiopia” is also a hopeful call for change: Collective support on a worldwide level is necessary for change in the right direction.
“Lead Balloon” (Women Get Beaten Down Too Often in the Music Industry)
Joni Mitchell’s complaints in many of her songs are more often than not based on observations. “Lead Balloon”, however, is a bona fide diss track. This song from Taming The Tiger references a feud that Mitchell had for the best part of two decades with none other than Rolling Stone’s founder, Jann Wenner.
Wenner often disrespected Mitchell in his write-ups, once naming her “Old Lady Of The Year” in 1971 and later calling her “overrated” in the 1980s. Mitchell didn’t let that disrespect slide, and often told the press about her grudge against Wenner, whom she deemed “irresponsible” with his journalism. “Lead Balloon” tackled the feud, as well as Mitchell’s general feelings about misogyny in the music industry: “An angry man is just an angry man / But an angry woman, b*tch.”
Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns
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