What we're listening to: Joni 'Blue'

I'll be honest, I don't get this but it has to be said, everyone else does. There's little doubt 1971's 'Blue', is considered one of the greatest Albums of all time and without doubt, amongst the females in Streamabout (Sarah notably). Overplayed comes to mind.

That's not to detract from it for one second. But you need to be in the mood for it too, in my view. 

I do get Joni to a point - Coyote ('Prisoner of the white lines') is one of the best tracks ever and stands out on The Last Waltz - 

(Until, that is, Robbie Robertson and Clapton go at it on 'Further on up the Road'.....)

But enough of that. 

Joni is actually born Anderson (not Mitchell, she married Chuck Mitchell at 21) and Canadian (not American). 

She dated Graham Nash (CSNY) and it was that break-up, then taking up with James Taylor (she sings backing vocals btw on 'You've got a friend'), then they broke up too....that was the birth of 'Blue', her fourth Album.

She met Taylor on the set of his movie 'Two Lane Blacktop'.

'Blue' is considered by all, to be a great all-time record and 'California' is probably the best known track, all tracks written by Mitchell.

Stephen Stills and James Taylor feature on the Album as does Russ Kunkel, a famed US drummer. Tim Considine did the iconic cover shot. 

Probably what makes it great, is that it's totally honest and it may be, the ultimate break-up Album. All you need do, is listen to the title track to hear that. But here's 'California' to give you, I think, a better sense of it all....

(Happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow too.)

Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'. 

What we're listening to. Carole King 'Tapestry'

The recent announcement that Carole King will be playing 'Tapestry' in full, in London's Hyde Park July 3rd for the first time, encouraged us to put it on again. 

These type of concerts follow of course, Patti Smith doing 'Horses' live and Springsteen doing 'The River', so a bit of a trend.

Tapestry was released in 1971, she was 29 from Brooklyn and stayed at number one for over 15 weeks, 316 weeks on the Billboard 200 - a record still, for a female solo artist. It was her second Album and produced by legend, Lou Adler.

Neil Sedaka in fact, had dated her in College but following a divorce from musician Gerry Goffin (who co-wrote "Will you love me tomorrow", "You make me feel like a natural woman" and other classics) she moved to LA (Laurel Canyon) where the Album cover shot is taken.

She became friendly with Joni Mitchell (who's legendary 'Blue' Album was released just months before Tapestry), and found a boyfriend in James Taylor (who plays acoustic guitar on Tapestry). Joni you'll hear too on some of the backing vocals.

JT famously recorded Carole King's 'You've got a friend' although most think he wrote it - he didn't, she did. You'll find 'Sweet Baby James' on this blog too, well worth a look.

Tapestry has won every award going and broken every chart record - being so well loved. It's very 70's and very intimate so you need to be in the mood..... but the songs are beautiful - "I feel the earth move", "It's too late", "Will you still love me tomorrow", "You make me feel like a natural woman" and of course, "You've got a friend". 

One of the all-time classic records that every collection should have. It's calming and that's just what we needed this week in Streamabout.

Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog.......Beatles Red Album; Sex Pistols Never mind the Bollocks; Sam Cooke Live at Harlem Square; The Doors LA Woman; Thin Lizzy Live & Dangerous; Kendrick Lamarr Butterfly; Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace; Clapton 461; Massive Attack Blue Lines; The Clash London Calling; Chris Isaak At The Filmore; Bob Dylan Street Legal;Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan AJA; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush + Harvest; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel Alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill

What we're listening to this week. James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'.

James Taylor's second Album from 1970 (the first was just self titled JT), is the one that made him and beats all else. He was in fact 21 and homeless at the time (he's 67 now) and recorded it on a tiny budget with the help of Peter Asher.

'Fire and Rain' was the Album song that sold the record but 'Sweet Baby James' (written for his son, also called James), 'Lo and Behold', 'Country Road' are the stand out tracks. Carole King is here too on piano and vocals, as is Randy Meisner from The Eagles (they were long time struggling pals).

Taylor had his problems then too - mental health and notably heroin addictions- which is reflected in 'Fire and Rain'. This is a rock-country-folk classic. There's no other words really for a master at work and very summery listening. 

But it's the very start of Taylor's long career and superb songwriting ('You've got a friend', 'Handy Man', 'Something in the way she moves', 'Mexico') as well as appearing with everyone you care to mention. 

In fact, in 1971, he was a session man on Joni's legendary 'Blue' (if you like that kinda' thing....).

Always worth a listen. Loved in Streamabout anyway. Have a go here -