Blue: 50 Years Old

Reprise, 1971

For 50 years, Blue has offered heart-wrenching, eye-watering, ex-longing love songs. Love songs that are painfully sad. Love songs that are happily sad. The deepness of Blue hasn’t faded a single shade since Joni Mitchell released her magnum opus half a decade ago.

Blue’s ability to conjure up feelings and memories tied to those feelings is a very special trait that is rare for any album to have top to bottom. On the surface, Blue is a dainty folk record with minimal instrumentation. On a deeper level though, if you listen carefully to the lyrics Mitchell sings, you are bound to visualize a visceral experience you’ve had. Whether it’s sweet devotion on “All I Want” or a bad breakup on “River”; hot, exciting love on “A Case of You” or pure sadness on “Blue”; this record will pull a memory from your mind, through your heart, and out of your body.

It’s quite hard to write about a universally-acclaimed record that’s been out for 50 years. What’s to be said about the record has been said. Every inch of Blue has been analyzed, praised, and critiqued. The only route to go would be to make this piece personal. While I did think of going track by track and sharing the memories that are conjured up, that seems overly intimate and probably shouldn’t be publicized on the internet. I’ll admit though, buy me a couple drinks and I’ll spill it all out for you. Instead, I’ll touch on a few tracks and the feelings they evoke. The offer of a couple drinks for some deep personal stories though, still stands…

Where else to start than the opener “All I Want”. You know that coy game you play with someone you’re into? You want them to like you, but you don’t want to like them too explicitly. Maybe you still value your singleness, but still hope they can fill a hole inside you (ayo). “All I Want” is not quite the first date, but definitely early in whatever it is that’s happening between you and that person. This is the stage where you think about that person constantly—day and night. The bouncy guitar and light drums give the song a hop in its step and emulates that pep in your step when you begin to think you have someone special.

The complete opposite of “All I Want” is “Blue”. Everything sucks and everything hurts. There’s something indescribable about “Blue” that perfectly captures unfixable sadness that can only heal with time. “Blue” is staring out the window on a rainy day level stuff. It’s Spain, hold the “S”. When the episode of the show you’re watching ends, it’s “Blue”. When you finish the movie you’ve been watching, it’s “Blue”. After the party, it’s “Blue”. The way the piano continuously softens before coming back in hard releases a wave of emotion. Right after the trough comes the crashing crest of the wave—over and over again.

Romantic regret has never been as fun as “This Flight Tonight”. The bounce and danciness of this song will surely make you tap your foot or even just start moving your whole body. “This Flight Tonight” stands out amongst the other tracks on Blue because it’s distinctly the most high energy and fun track—even more than “All I Want” and “A Case of You”. While most of the record is extremely melancholic and contemplative, “This Flight Tonight” challenges that vibe by making you feel a rush. You shouldn’t have said goodbye to that person. You shouldn’t have left them or let them go. Now, run after them and get them back!

Joni Mitchell said “fuck it, Christmas songs are too happy” and wrote “River” for the world to ponder about. Christmas can truly be so lonely. Whether you’re away from friends and family and spend Christmas alone, or you’re surrounded by friends and family, but still feel alone. Christmas has always been marketed to us as joy, cheer, and a brief month of warmth during the cold Winter season, but often it can be quite the opposite. Truly, we don’t have enough sad Christmas songs. We do have “River” though. A song about loneliness during Christmas because of a breakup just prior. Some Christmases, you don’t have someone that’s yours. Some Christmases are the first without that special someone you spent last Christmas (another great sad Christmas song) with. Some Christmases in a row, you end up watching Love Actually and When Harry Met Sally alone drunk off wine. Look, I said I won’t get too personal, so take that last sentence however you like… Some Christmases, you just wish you had a river you could skate away on.

Ah, “A Case of You”. One of the most beautiful love songs ever written. Iconized by the great metaphor of someone’s love being like wine and drinking a case of it still not being enough. “A Case of You” is early love—maybe even love at first sight. It’s the moment after the first date when the spark is lit and the fire inside ensues to burn. You want to spend every breathing moment with this person because they are it. They are them. Every time I listen to Blue I always give “A Case of You” a few more listens than every other song. It’s just so special. The metaphoric songwriting, the complementing guitars, Joni’s falsettos. I don’t believe in the existence of perfect songs, but “A Case of You” is close. It’s easy to see why this song is the most popular off of Blue and most people’s favourite song off the record. I mean “Oh, you are in my blood like holy wine”. Wow, just wow.

Blue’s magic is in its subjective interpretation and its ability to harvest memories from your mind. All while doing so with very simple and minimalist instrumentation. It’s barebones folk with each song rooted by just a guitar or two, or a piano melody. It’s not to say things are boring though, as the upbeat tracks are skillfully given a jolt of energy with just guitar. It’s hard to believe only three tracks have drums on them (“All I Want”, “Carey”, “California”). Small things like a dip into minor key at the beginning of the hook of “Little Green” adds another dimension to the song’s melody. So simple, yet so effective. This minimalist instrumentation creates space for the songwriting to flourish and have its effect on the listener.

50 years on, Blue retains its place in pop music legend and will continue for another 50 years and beyond. It’s a timeless piece of art that will keep us singing “Oh, Canadaaaaaaaa” for at least another half decade.

Favourite tracks: All I Want, Little Green, Blue, California, This Flight Tonight, River, A Case of You