August 3, 2023 (Song #2042):  “People’s Parties/Same Situation” by Joni Mitchell from Court and Spark. LYRICS & SONG HISTORY APPLE MUSIC 

Sometime in the spring of 1984, a double-sided cassette tape with both “Ladies of The Canyon” and “Court and Spark” made its way from a sidewalk record seller into my AIWA walkman.  The first time I listened to these two Joni Mitchell albums, I lay on my bed for two hours and didn’t move. Just like everyone else, I’d heard “Help Me” and “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Circle Game” and “Both Sides Now” and “Chelsea Morning”, but these records were something else altogether.  I can’t explain why, except that the songs seemed to be other-worldly.  Almost 40 years later, I still consider Joni’s voice and songwriting to be the pinnacle of the art.  

Last year, I was one of the lucky ones who saw Joni Mitchell sing at the Newport Folk Festival with the amazing Brandi Carlile.  I love Brandi and her shows at Newport are always fabulous, so I’d pushed my way to the front of the standing crowd and stood a few feet from the stage to watch her perform; when Brandi announced that Joni was joining her, I finally understood the crying, screaming, fainting teenagers in the black & white news footage from 1964 when the Beatles came to America.  That was us!  Everywhere I looked there were people sobbing, including me.

So now, a year later, it’s my 60th birthday and I’m ready to make a change.  Some of you probably knew this was coming: I am giving myself the gift of time and new interests. Therefore, today’s SOTD post will be the final “Song of the Day” for a while. I may strike it back up again, I may not. 

“What are you going to do with your time, Suzanne??,” you ask? Well, first, I’ll spend less time on this computer and more time with Peter and our kids.  I’d like to walk more, bike more, do more yoga, visit more with my parents, siblings and friends, finish some of the books that are in piles next to my bed, get through a New Yorker or two, be a better, well-rested teacher once the school  year starts, maybe sell one of my songs to a movie, maybe write a movie, maybe take up cooking or sewing and, of course, make more music.  Yes, I’ll definitely continue to sing every day and hope you do, too.  The website will still be here with lots of links to lots of songs and, who knows?, maybe I will post again occasionally.  

Thank you ALL so much for your support during the past 5 ½ years.  It’s been a pleasure. Sing Daily & Stay Healthy! Xoxo