Legendary songwriter Joni Mitchell has cracked open the vault to reveal Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), an archival project featuring unreleased music. Stream it in full below via Apple Music and Spotify.
Vol. 1 is the first entry in the folk artist’s recently launched Joni Mitchell Archives series. Consisting of five CDs, the inaugural release includes Mitchell’s earliest-known recording, a 1963 in-studio radio performance for CFQC AM in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and her first-ever demo, “Day After Day”.
There are also early versions of songs like “Michael From Mountains” and “I Had a King”, a 1965 mini set for Let’s Sing Out on CBC TV, and her rare Neil Young cover of “Sugar Mountain”, as well as 1967 New York City home demos of “Free Darling”, “Mr. Junk”, “Chelsea Morning”, and more.
Vol 1. closes with an impressive multi-set nightclub performance recorded at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1967. This grouping features over 20 live recordings, including “Go Tell the Drummer Man”, “I Don’t Know Where I Stand”, “Night in the City”, and “Both Sides for Now”.
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In a statement, the 76-year-old Mitchell spoke about these unearthed recordings and her early label as a “folk singer”:
“The early stuff, I shouldn’t be such a snob against it. A lot of these songs, I just lost them. They fell away. They only exist in these recordings. For so long I rebelled against the term, ‘I was never a folk-singer.’ I would get pissed off if they put that label on me. I didn’t think it was a good description of what I was. And then I listened and…it was beautiful. It made me forgive my beginnings. And I had this realization…I was a folk singer!”
Along with a treasure trove of rare music, the Vol. 1 bundle boasts a 40-page booklet filled with previously unseen photos. Writer and filmmaker Cameron Crowe also provided extensive liner notes.
In related news, earlier this week Mitchell opened up about her brain aneurysm recovery in a rare interview with Crowe.
Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) Tracklist:
Disc One
Radio Station CFQC AM, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (ca. 1963)
01. House Of The Rising Sun
02. John Hardy
03. Dark As A Dungeon
04. Tell Old Bill
05. Nancy Whiskey
06. Anathea
07. Copper Kettle
08. Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)
09. Molly Malone
Live at the Half Beat: Yorkville, Toronto, Canada (October 21, 1964)
First Set
10. Introduction
11. Nancy Whiskey
12. Intro to The Crow On The Cradle
13. The Crow On The Cradle
14. Pastures Of Plenty
15. Every Night When The Sun Goes In
16. Intro to Sail Away
17. Sail Away
Second Set
18. John Hardy
19. Dark As A Dungeon
20. Intro to Maids When You’re Young Never Wed An Old Man
21. Maids When You’re Young Never Wed An Old Man
22. The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow
23. Deportee (Plane Crash At Los Gatos)
24. Joni’s Parents’ House: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (February 1965)
25. The Long Black Rifle
26. Ten Thousand Miles
27. Seven Daffodils
Disc Two
Myrtle Anderson Birthday Tape: Detroit, MI (1965)
01. Urge For Going
02. Born To Take The Highway
03. Here Today And Gone Tomorrow
Jac Holzman Demo: Detroit, MI (August 24, 1965)
04. What Will You Give Me
05. Let It Be Me
06. The Student Song
07. Day After Day
08. Like The Lonely Swallow
Let’s Sing Out, CBC TV: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada (October 4, 1965)
09. Favorite Colour
10. Me And My Uncle
Home Demo: Detroit, MI (ca. 1966)
11. Sad Winds Blowin’
Let’s Sing Out, CBC TV: Laurentian University, London, ON, Canada (October 24, 1966)
12. Just Like Me
13. Night In The City
Live at the 2nd Fret: Philadelphia, PA (November 1966)
14. Brandy Eyes
15. Intro to Urge For Going
16. Urge For Going
17. Intro to What’s The Story Mr. Blue
18. What’s The Story Mr. Blue
19. Eastern Rain
20. Intro to The Circle Game
21. The Circle Game
22. Intro to Night In The City
23. Night In The City
Disc Three
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA, (March 12, 1967)
01. Intro to Both Sides Now
02. Both Sides Now
03. Intro to The Circle Game
04. The Circle Game
Live at the 2nd Fret: Philadelphia, PA (March 17, 1967)
Second Set
05. Morning Morgantown
06. Born To Take The Highway
07. Intro to Song To A Seagull
08. Song To A Seagull
Third Set
09. Winter Lady
10. Intro to Both Sides Now
11. Both Sides Now
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA (March 19, 1967)
12. Intro to Eastern Rain
13. Eastern Rain
14. Intro to Blue On Blue
15. Blue On Blue
A Record Of My Changes – Michael’s Birthday Tape: North Carolina (May 1967)
16. Gemini Twin
17. Strawflower Me
18. A Melody In Your Name
19. Tin Angel
20. I Don’t Know Where I Stand
21. Joni improvising
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA (May 28, 1967)
22. Intro to Sugar Mountain
23. Sugar Mountain
Disc Four
Home Demo: New York City, NY (ca. June 1967)
01. I Had A King
02. Free Darling
03. Conversation
04. Morning Morgantown
05. Dr. Junk
06. Gift Of The Magi
07. Chelsea Morning
08. Michael From Mountains
09. Cara’s Castle
10 . Jeremy (Incomplete)
Live at Canterbury House: Ann Arbor, MI (October 27, 1967)
First Set
11. Conversation
12. Intro to Come To The Sunshine
13. Come To The Sunshine
14. Intro to Chelsea Morning
15. Chelsea Morning
16. Intro to Gift Of The Magi
17. Gift Of The Magi
18. Play Little David
19. Intro to The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow
20. The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow
21. I Had A King
22. Intro to Free Darling
23. Free Darling
24. Intro to Cactus Tree
25. Cactus Tree
Disc Five
Live at Canterbury House: Ann Arbor, MI (October 27, 1967)
Second Set
01. Little Green
02. Intro to Marcie
03. Marcie
04. Intro to Ballerina Valerie
05. Ballerina Valerie
06. The Circle Game
07. Intro to Michael From Mountains
08. Michael From Mountains
09. Go Tell The Drummer Man
10. Intro to I Don’t Know Where I Stand
11. I Don’t Know Where I Stand
Third Set
12. A Melody In Your Name
13. Intro to Carnival In Kenora
14. Carnival In Kenora
15. Songs To Aging Children Come
16. Intro to Dr. Junk
17. Dr. Junk
18. Morning Morgantown
19. Intro to Night In The City
20. Night In The City
21. Both Sides Now
22. Urge For Going
EARLY JONI – 1963 LP TRACKLIST:
Side One
01. House Of The Rising Sun
02. John Hardy
03. Dark As A Dungeon
04. Tell Old Bill
05. Nancy Whiskey
Side Two
01. Anathea
02. Copper Kettle
03. Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)
04. Molly Malone
LIVE AT CANTERBURY HOUSE – 1967 3LP TRACKLIST:
Side One: First Set
01. Conversation
02. Intro to Come To The Sunshine
03. Come To The Sunshine
04. Intro to Chelsea Morning
05. Chelsea Morning
06. Intro to Gift Of The Magi
07. Gift Of The Magi
Side Two
01. Play Little David
02. Intro to The Dowy Dens Of Yarrow
03. The Dowy Dens Of Yarrow
04. I Had A King
05. Intro to Free Darling
06. Free Darling
07. Intro to Cactus Tree
08. Cactus Tree
Side Three: Second Set
01.Little Green
02. Intro to Marcie
03.Marcie
04. Intro to Ballerina Valerie
05. Ballerina Valerie
06. The Circle Game
Side Four
01. Intro to Michael From Mountains
02. Michael From Mountains
03. Go Tell The Drummer Man
04. Intro to I Don’t Know Where I Stand
05. I Don’t Know Where I Stand
Side Five: Third Set
01. A Melody In Your Name
02. Intro to Carnival In Kenora
03. Carnival In Kenora
04. Songs To Aging Children Come
05. Intro to Dr. Junk
06. Dr. Junk
Side Six
01. Morning Morgantown
02. Intro to Night In The City
03. Night In The City
04. Both Sides Now
05. Urge For Going
