Our Favorite Albums #10

10. Joni Mitchell – Blue [1971]

Nominated by DJ Deni of Lovin’ the 70’s, Michael Benson of 75% Folk, Andy Chatfield of Center for the Arts Radio Hour, and DJ Jagged Little Thrill of What the Funk & Word on the Street

Michael Benson says: Album of a generation.

In 1979 Mitchell reflected, “The Blue album, there’s hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn’t pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either.” Due to the stark and bare revelations in the album, when it was first played for Kris Kristofferson he is reported to have commented, “Joni! Keep something to yourself!” (wikipedia.org)