Joni Mitchell - Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years - 1963-1967 (5CD)

Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) features nearly six hours of unreleased home, live, and radio recordings that flow chronologically to paint a rich portrait of Mitchell’s rapid growth as a performer and songwriter during the period leading up to her debut album. This treasure trove of unheard audio includes 29 original Mitchell compositions that have never been released before with her vocals.

This 5CD collection includes a 40-page booklet that features many unseen photos from Mitchell’s personal collection as well as new liner notes featuring conversations between writer/filmmaker Cameron Crowe and Mitchell, who recently spent a couple of Sunday afternoons together discussing her archives. Crowe will continue to provide liners for future releases in the series.

Through a wealth of unreleased live performances, home recordings, and radio broadcasts, ARCHIVES VOL. 1 brings into focus the period when Mitchell was finding her voice artistically. It shows her moving away from the folk standards of her early days (“John Hardy” and “House Of The Rising Sun”) and starting to write and sing her own songs (“Day After Day” and “Urge For Going.”)

ARCHIVES VOL. 1 reveals just how prolific a songwriter Mitchell was at the time. In addition to early versions of songs that would appear on Song To A Seagull (“Michael From Mountains” and “I Had A King”), the set also features songs destined for later albums: “Chelsea Morning” “Both Sides Now” (Clouds, 1969); “The Circle Game” (Ladies of the Canyon, 1970); and “Little Green” (Blue, 1971).

More than a just historic document, these recordings crackle with energy thanks to a vibrant and enchanting Mitchell. On many, you can hear her turning tuning her guitar and telling a story about the song before playing it. That includes her rare 1967 cover of Neil Young’s “Sugar Mountain,” a song she says inspired her to write “The Circle Game.”

The collection begins in 1963 with her earliest-known recording as a 19-year-old Mitchell performs at CFQC AM, a radio station in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The box culminates with a stirring, three-set 1967 nightclub performance recorded at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Tracklist

CD 1
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)
Joni’s Parents’ House: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (February 1965)
24. The Long Black Rifle
25. Ten Thousand Miles
26. Seven Daffodils

CD 2
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

CD 3
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
16. A Record Of My Changes – Michael’s Birthday Tape: North Carolina (May 1967)
17. Gemini Twin
18. Strawflower Me
19. A Melody In Your Name
20. Tin Angel
21. I Don’t Know Where I Stand
22. Joni improvising
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA (May 28, 1967)
23. Intro to Sugar Mountain
24. Sugar Mountain

CD 4
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

CD 5
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