Joni cleansing

...and still somehow,
It's life's illusions I recall...

I'm finally getting to know Joni Mitchell, thanks to LJ friends. As a teenager I hardly listened to popular music, but liked Judy Collins and owned Judith along with Classical records. "Both sides now" has always been a favourite. I didn't realize Mitchell had written it until her new recording released in 2000.

ghostsandrobots introduced me to kd lang's Hymns of the 49^th Parallel, with covers of two Mitchell songs. My curiosity was piqued. Then vaysha sent me a mix of new folk. Good stuff. This would have become my genre 20 years ago if other factors hadn't interfered.

Like religion. This week I had Keith Green and Bob Ayala running through my head. It mad me angry. Christian folk and rock fosters self-loathing. But I had the antidote for this ear parasite.

When I visited bruno_bt before Christmas he was playing a familiar voice and guitar. Sure enough, it was Joni Mitchell, her first album released in 1968. When I saw Bruce two weeks ago, he gave me digitally remastered releases of that album and Clouds.

I've been listening while I wash dishes and cook squash soup; letting Joni wash away discord, the blind world of black and white.