For The Roses – Joni Mitchell – What’s On The Table
Good Friday Afternoon!
What better way to relax after a busy week than with a cup of coffee and some good music? Today we’re listening to Joni Mitchell’s “For The Roses”, the lesser known gem in Joni’s discography. It’s been the album that introduced us to her work and that made us fall in love with her songwriting and honest but poetic story telling. It speaks to us in a way only few records do and so we knew it had to have its own “What’s On The Table” episode. After all, it’s been on our turn table many, many times over the last few years 🙂
What do you think? Do you own the album? Do you have a favourite song, lyrics or album by Joni? Judging by the comments on our “Both Sides Now” Duo Session video it seems like you guys appreciate that song as much as we do! Maybe you’ll discover songs on “For The Roses” that you’ll love just as much.
Let’s talk in the comments!
Big hugs and have a groovy weekend,
Mona & Lisa
These “What’s on the Table” looks at favorite albums is a most enjoyable part of the site.
Ah, “For the Roses”, for fans of the folkie Joni it was a somewhat disconcerting album. A subtle departure of the sound from her first 4 long players. Definitely a jazzier feel, and she’d continue in this vein with her subsequent work. It’s always a bit difficult when an artist deviates from the sound that made you a fan in the first place. And that’s how I felt when first hearing this record. There were still a handful of songs like the “old” Joni – “See You Sometime”, “Electricity”, “Turn Me On….”, but I sorta shelved the album after 3 or 4 listens. Did handpick a few when making a Joni home made tape a few years later.
This was her first record on the Asylum label, and perhaps she was given the freedom to expand on her sound. It was also her first featuring the mostly jazz musician Tom Scott, who Lisa mentions in the segment, and maybe he was partly responsible for the shift in style. He played on her next 3 albums, the last being “Hejira”, by which time she had almost completely abandoned the folk/rock/pop sound of her earlier albums. It’s always the musical genre, melody, catchy chorus that first registers with me. Lyrics come later. So starting with “For the Roses”, due to limited listens, the words never really got a chance to register. And this was one of her strengths which gave the songs added appeal after multiple hearings. Lisa sorta says same in the ladies discussion.
In the 90s, after reading a positive review of “Turbulent Indigo” (her return to Reprise), made my first blind Joni purchase in decades. It was okay, some good songs(“Sex Kills”, “Borderline”), but haven’t returned to it since the first half dozen or so listens. I did notice that her voice was not quite the same; surely having lost some of its luster due to the dreaded cigarette habit. I hope and trust that Mona and Lisa take better care of their amazing voices!
Good Friday morning to y’all. Love Joni Mitchell, but I don’t remember that album. Thanks for sharing it with us. Very enjoyable video. My favorite song of those you highlighted was “Turn Me On I’m a Radio.” I hope you both have an awesome and groovy weekend.
I can’t not laugh everytime Blond In The Bleachers is put on and Mona flips her hair and the record skips. ???? I think that will be permanently engraved in my mind when I hear this song. I love WOTT, so informative and fun.
Joni’s introduction to the song at Carnegie Hall on February 23, 1972
« This is another new song. It’s called ‘For the Roses’ and it comes from the expression, ‘to run for the roses.’ You know what that’s all about: that’s when you take this horse and, you know, like he comes charging into the finish line and they throw a wreath of flowers around his neck and then one day they take him out and shoot him. It’s kind of a macabre thing to say, isn’t it, I guess? »
Well, it’s very sad for the horse but it will never happen to you Mona and Lisa. We will always put flowers around your neck! »
And anyway, Bravo! for this “What’s on the table” video series. You are the best music teachers I know. Thanks to you I can discover aspects of musicians that I know only superficially and others like Joni Mitchell whom I had never heard of. And by talking about what touches you (here it seems to be Mona who is touched by the lyrics) we get to know you better. I look forward to the next WOTT.
Darn..I just lost a whole comment as all of a sudden everything went blank and I had to log in again…aaaaggghhh….I was saying I do remember from”way back when” Joni Mitchell had a couple songs that I really liked such as You Turn Me On I’m A Radio and Big Yellow Taxi….now speaking of albums I’m wearing out your jukebox with Live at the Cavern… without the videos you can listen to the music progress and getting the crowd worked up to a crescendo by the end of the night…I like the lead in song Friday On My Mind to Mr Postman…this song really gets the crowd going…Lisa a beautiful job on Mr Postman and the segway (spelling) into Wipeout….WOW fantastic and transitioning back into Mr Postman was just fabulous…Charlie and Callum superb on their solo parts and whose idea was it to Segway into Wipeout…just brilliant !! and then follow it up with She Loves You and then your own gem This Boy Is Mine….then in the 2nd set the build up to FRENZY with I Feel Fine…I Wanna Hold Your Hand…and the song that Really goes thru the roof is Kansas City Hey Hey Hey you’ve got the crowd going crazy and then again another of your gems One More Time and finally the topper…the B SIde to Hey Jude …REVOLUTION….Damn you girls put together a killer set and I LOVE IT …. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
WOTT I always enjoy because they generally are from artists I never really paid attention to such as Donovan..Joni Mitchell and others that you’ve done….when you came out with the Both Sides Now I didn’t realize it was a Joni Mitchell song because it was Judy Collins that had a huge hit with it…but ONE THING that I really enjoy from your WOTT episodes is something that as a radio disc jockey (country music) for many years is that I’ve found many times the Best Songs on the albums are NOT the hit singles…the record companies are looking for the quick dollar and not necessarily the Best Songs…so I appreciate what you do when listening to the songs in trying to understand what’s behind the lyrics and in Joni Mitchells case … the polio..WOW Who Knew !….love what you do❤️
Thank you for sharing. I always enjoy What’s On The Table episodes. especially when it’s an artist I rarely or never listen to. I end up exploring the music shortly after the episode. Like Im going to do right now. maybe buy an album or two. I always look forward to the next What’s on The Table. Thank you again.
How much joy the twins bring. LOVE these talks. Always loved Joni, but never really delved deep in her music nor did I know about her bout with polio. After this, I feel I got to know her a little better. The twins really are a spring of knowledge, the little details that show up indicate there’s much more under the surface.
Speaking of albums, I can’t stop listening to the “Live at the Cavern” has taken over the jukebox! How I love that double album!
Thank you for always making me smile.
I really love the WOTT sessions. I enjoy watching you listen to music almost as much as watching you play music. I always wondered why she played with open tuning, I never knew about the polio. The “wasted piano lessons” comment really got to me. I was surprised how many of the songs I had heard before. I had the Blue album and loved it but I was more into rock than folk at the time. My favorite Joni song is Raised on Robbery which rocks! Thanks for the thoughtful and insightful commentary. you guys are the best.
The best thing about these WOTTs episodes is hearing your musically insightful perspective on the music and the artists which to me is invaluable. I am only familiar with Joni Mitchell’s well known big hit songs, but I’m so glad you got me to go listen to the whole album here, and the thing that stand out the most in addition to her brilliant lyrics is her beautiful singing and the remarkable colour and flourish in her vocals in all the songs, just like both your remarkable rich in depth singing.
I like what you both said about her that as a person/artist her music grew on you and you find her music very human, honest and authentic, without much filter in front of her expression. It’s an amazing story about her having polio as a child and overcoming her disability and going on to be able to play the guitar so brilliantly.
On the album my favourite songs are “Blonde in the Bleachers” which is so beautiful and elegant, as well as “Barangrill” and those lyrics. I also like “Banquet” with vivid lyrics that seem to describe life in terms of what you find at a banquet so very cleverly, and “See You Sometime also stood out for the raw emotions in the song. I also like the last track, Judgement of the Moon and Star (Ludwig’s Tune). Listening to the lyrics about “cold white keys”, “they think you are too raw”, and “solitary path” sounds like a tribute to Beethoven and his struggle with deafness and solitude. Reference to Ludwig’s Tune also makes me believe that.
I really, really enjoyed that, thanks so much. Sometimes just listening to an artists album carefully through is very rewarding indeed! You can find so many gems inside. 🙂
Joni is an iconic Canadian Music Legend???…I always enjoyed “Both Sides Now” and her ” Big Yellow Taxi” song, and she is just as creative in painting, poetry… Am glad you chose to highlight her in an “WOTT” segment…you’ve made this Canadian Gal proud 😀 !!
I really like a lot of the session ” What’s on the table” .. I loved your choice for this video Joni Mitchell.. great .. thanks dear girls.
Great album!
I think Joni Mitchell is one of those artists who’s songs are more famous then her name. “The Circle Game” is one of my favorites of hers. I love how you share those little insights into her life and music. It makes listening much more enjoyable. Your own song “Once Upon A Time” is so much like something she would have written back then. Thanks for another great What’s On The Table!
We’re glad you found the stories interesting. There is so much to unpack in all her songs! “The Circle Game” has beautiful lyrics ♥
I’ve loved Joni Mitchell’s music since Blue came out, and though some of her later work seemed a bit harder to get into it has always been Joni singing from the heart and playing great music with great musicians. It was great to just see and hear you talking about her and sharing the sort of impressions I have always had. I saw an interview she did fairly recently where she reflected on her life and music, she still seemed to me as mysterious as ever, a private person still trying to come to terms with her fame.
To be honest, I have given a lot of her later albums a miss too. I think her albums take some time to get into, so I might be missing out on some great songs and storytelling, but for me everything around the “Blue” area just hits the right balance. I love listening to her speak, especially in later interviews when she talks about her life with some distance and reflection. Such a graceful woman!
Wow what a great Whats On The Table Sesh today. Joni set the standard for many female artists that came after her. She spoke of the pain and hurt she experienced and the heart ache she bad at times too.
Alot of female artists would do anything to be successful singers. Whatever t b at meant. Even if it meant going against their principles. One such female was Linda Ronstandt.
Ladies, wow you got all dressed up. Lisa your hair looks great. Did Mona help you with it?
Thanks ladies for your terrific Sesh today. ?❤
So good, Love these sessions, – spreading the word as best as I can – https://www.facebook.com/ApacheIndianOfficial/posts/218594126361893
Thanks, Skippy!
Well, you’ve challenged me this time as I do not have a lot of experience with Joni. Growing up I wasn’t able to buy a lot of records, so most of my exposure to current music was through my shirttail cousin, and he didn’t have any Joni Mitchell that I recall. However, the radio was free so I’m not completely in the dark. I’ve been listening to “For The Roses” and it strikes me that even with my limited familiarity with her, two things have remained with me all these years: the superb storytelling and how her singing seems so effortless and natural. Mona mentioned that she would listen to this album by herself, and from my initial exposure to it I think there’s something to that; it seems to have this meditative quality embedded into it.
In keeping with the spirit of this album, I’d recommend something from Janis Ian, who has had her own life struggles and uses those experiences as inspiration. “Between The Lines” is a good one to explore. It has her hit “At Seventeen” on it, but check out “Watercolors”. It makes me think she and Joni might have hung out in some of the same places.
And, of course, thanks for WOTT; it really is the best!
That’s funny, I played “At Seventeen” to Mona literally only a couple of days ago. That’s a gorgeous song so I’ll definitely check out the whole album! Thanks for bringing that up.
Glad you got something out of listening to “For The Roses”. The album had to grow on me for a while but once it did it seemed to merge with my DNA 🙂
You are right about the meditative quality, I find that a lot of folk singers from that time do that for me. John Martyn, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention … Sometimes that kind of music just hits the spot 🙂
I’ve unjust released I have no join Mitchell’s records in my collection time to add some thank you girls xxxxx
Interesting! I was never a big Joni Mitchell fan, but I did like some of her music and I learned a lot just now. I didn’t know about her struggle with Polio. What an inspiration.
It doesn’t matter who you talk about really, I enjoy hearing your perspective and learning something more about music. Thank you!
Thanks Jerry! We love talking about music that means something to us and share some stories or songs that others might not be that familiar with. We got to discover some great music by others doing the same to us 🙂 We’re glad you found it interesting!