![]() Miles of Aisles (1974) [ larger cover art ] |
I'll try to keep myself open up to you
That's a promise that I made to love
When it was new
"Just like Jericho" I said
"Let these wall come tumbling down"
I said it like I finally found the way
To keep the good feelings alive
I said it like it was something to strive for.
I'll try to keep myself open up to you
And approve your self expression
I need that, too
I need your confidence, baby
And the gift of your extra time
In turn I'll give you mine
Sweet darling, it's a rich exchange
It seems to me
It's a warm arrangement!
Anyone will tell you
Just how hard it is to make and keep a friend
Maybe they'll short sell you
Or maybe it's you
Judas, in the end
When you just can no longer pretend
That you're getting what you need
Or you're giving out anything for them to grow and feed on.
I'll try to keep myself open up to you
It gets easier and easier to do
Just like Jericho
Let these walls come tumbling down now
Let them fall right on the ground
Let all these dogs go running free
The wild and the gentle dogs
Kenneled in me.
| iscoot4peace | Posted: Oct 08, 2009 - 07:46 One of the most interesting things about art, music, and the human experience, is how differently and divers people's reactions to the same piece of art can be. The fact that Joni is a great lyricist and musician is indisputable...but to my ear...she is a horrible singer. This entire song sounds like she is feeling around in the dark for the right notes. We were wincing this morning in our office...while most others in the RP forum seem to be in bliss. "To each his own!" as my mother used to say. |
| DaveInVA (In a crumbling Queen Anne mansion in Damnville, VA) | Posted: Oct 08, 2009 - 06:55 Definitely one of her better attempts at jazz, I've always liked this. |
| Randomax (Wimberley, TX) | Posted: Oct 08, 2009 - 06:54 Being the huge Joni fan that I have been since I was in junior high, I was drug kickin and screamin into liking her 'new sound' when she went jazz....used to DRIVE ME CRAZY (of course I hated it the minute Dylan picked up an electric guitar!). When this 'new sound' started I would have given it a -2 rating....now I see it for what it was....she evolved....it's an 8 at least... btw, I do own this album....one of about 20 JM albums (VINYL) that I have....genius |
| audiophelia (Pennsylvania) | Posted: Oct 08, 2009 - 06:53 Sweet transition from Jeff Beck! *applause* |
| Mandible | Posted: Oct 08, 2009 - 06:53 Bill, you're a MIND READER!!!!!!!!!!! I was just thinking to myself after having just plugged into RP, gee, I wish Bill would play some Joni Mitchell. I could really go for some Joni. THANKS! |
| ugly (Compton, CA) | Posted: Sep 06, 2009 - 18:36 I had the pleasure of showing her to a 21 year old person the other day. He had never heard of her at all and was blown away. I had a feeling he might like her because he loves Amy Winehouse. And no Amy Winehouse jokes because I love her to death and I feel terrible that she's going through so much shit. |
| gjeeg (Syracuse, New York) | Posted: Aug 06, 2009 - 05:55 I could not keep up with her when she went jazz; prior, she was perfection. She has no parallel whatsoever.... my god, thirty yeras ago she was jamming with Metheny and Jaco and holding her own... She is iconic and under appreciated in thsi lifetime. |
| Poacher (Brighton, UK) | Posted: Aug 06, 2009 - 05:53 Jungle_Jim wrote: Hey Jools - are you in Brighton, so am I. Wow I'm not the only one enjoying the breezy Californian Radio Paradise sounds as the rain drizzles down outside! jools wrote: Most excellent segue. Just right for around about 18:00 hours - which is the time nowin a very wet & miserable Brighton on the UK south coast. ![]() That makes at least 3 from Brighton then! And for a change. . . its not raining! Yay! Oh. . . nice track. |
| dixiedeb (Augusta, GA) | Posted: Apr 01, 2009 - 12:35 cosmiclint wrote: For me, that's the apeal. Her melodies don't go down the expected, predictable path. She experiments. And her lyrics are brilliant. Gord Downie has a similar love for combining poetic (and sometimes personal) lyrics with unexpected melodic choices. Maybe it's a Canadian thing. Well said, cosmiclint. My feelings as well. |
| franta | Posted: Apr 01, 2009 - 12:35 +1 Papernapkin wrote: When Joni comes on, the radio goes off. Kill me now. |
| Geecheeboy (under a crescent moon and palmetto tree) | Posted: Apr 01, 2009 - 12:34 We'll always have Joni. |
| mirland (Denmark) | Posted: Feb 28, 2009 - 23:47 Papernapkin wrote: When Joni comes on, the radio goes off. Kill me now. Right on. |
| laozilover (Left of Chicago and up) | Posted: Feb 28, 2009 - 23:47 |
| Jungle_Jim | Posted: Jan 28, 2009 - 10:02 Hey Jools - are you in Brighton, so am I. Wow I'm not the only one enjoying the breezy Californian Radio Paradise sounds as the rain drizzles down outside! jools wrote: Most excellent segue. Just right for around about 18:00 hours - which is the time nowin a very wet & miserable Brighton on the UK south coast. ![]() |
| Jungle_Jim | Posted: Jan 28, 2009 - 09:58 It was interesting to hear this version of the song - in some ways the DJRD version is too tight, and this is a more relaxed setting for it. Anyway - Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (minus perhaps Paprika Plains and Otis and Marlena) is one of my favorite albums. The dreamy first track, which is eventually punctuated with THAT thunderous note from Jaco - hairs stand up on my neck every time. |
| jools (Brighton UK) | Posted: Jan 28, 2009 - 09:53 Most excellent segue. Just right for around about 18:00 hours - which is the time nowin a very wet & miserable Brighton on the UK south coast. ![]() |
| Neil66 (Location, location location) | Posted: Aug 23, 2008 - 11:01 |
| Deadwing (Cincinnati OH) | Posted: Aug 23, 2008 - 11:00 ![]() |
| lee_sf (2nd floor, corner) | Posted: May 20, 2008 - 20:14 This song feels kinda average in the overall scheme of Joni Mitchell songs. I mean, it's cool and all, but she has so many other tunes that reach into "superlative", it's hard to get excited about this one. |
| topherg87 (Austin, TX) | Posted: May 20, 2008 - 20:09 yeah, joni is pretty much my hero...heroine... whatever, this is great |
| Papernapkin (Mountain View, CA) | Posted: Apr 19, 2008 - 08:22 MLavender wrote: I don't recall anyone else who's lyrics seem to have almost no coordination with the melody. She just sings whatever, and while it's a nice enough voice, and the melodies are fine too, they so often seem to be fairly unrelated.
Exactly! |
| Papernapkin (Mountain View, CA) | Posted: Apr 19, 2008 - 08:21 When Joni comes on, the radio goes off. Kill me now. |
| cathenley (Santa Barbara, CA) | Posted: Mar 18, 2008 - 20:16 Memories |
| cosmiclint (Vancouver BC) | Posted: Feb 16, 2008 - 08:42 MLavender wrote: I don't recall anyone else who's lyrics seem to have almost no coordination with the melody. She just sings whatever, and while it's a nice enough voice, and the melodies are fine too, they so often seem to be fairly unrelated.
For me, that's the apeal. Her melodies don't go down the expected, predictable path. She experiments. And her lyrics are brilliant. Gord Downie has a similar love for combining poetic (and sometimes personal) lyrics with unexpected melodic choices. Maybe it's a Canadian thing. |
| MLavender | Posted: Jan 15, 2008 - 21:09 I don't recall anyone else who's lyrics seem to have almost no coordination with the melody. She just sings whatever, and while it's a nice enough voice, and the melodies are fine too, they so often seem to be fairly unrelated. |
| funkaholic (Los Angeles) | Posted: Jan 15, 2008 - 21:07 Joni is wonderful! |
| Shesdifferent (Just visiting this planet) | Posted: Jan 15, 2008 - 21:07 |
| (former member) (Land of the Long White Cloud) | Posted: Nov 14, 2007 - 01:55 joni is....incredible....reigns supreme...great song... great lyrics about vulnerability, friendship, love, trust...all written in Joni's unique way |
| Zep (Don't wear your baseball hat so tight! Your hair will all fall out.) | Posted: Oct 13, 2007 - 20:56 buddy wrote: Godess-like.
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| Hairfarmer (Appalachia) | Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 06:56 meower215 wrote: The original is WAY better on Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, an album that everyone must own enjoy I agree that DJRD is an album everyone should own but MoA actually came out three years before it. A rare case of the live version being the original. This album has always been a two-sided coin to me. The arangements and the band are awesome (easily the best version of 'Woodstock' on record, imo) but Joni's voice is pretty ragged out on it. This was the point just before she gave up trying to sing soprano and it shows. Age and cigs just took the falsetto away. But it was a good thing because he voice sounds so much better on the late-70's stuff. |
| handyrae (Zero Point Field) | Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 06:43 I never used to pay much attention to Joni Mitchell. But since I've started to hear her on RP, I've developed quite an appreciation. |
| meower (Souf Philly) | Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 06:41 ruthless wrote: Nice segue! NICE song and I have only found it on this recording.
The original is WAY better on Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, an album that everyone must own enjoy |
| sukilau (cellar dweller) | Posted: Sep 12, 2007 - 06:40 Bill, are you reading my mind this AM??? |
| beakersbeats (You can go to hell, I'm going to Texas!) | Posted: Jul 11, 2007 - 08:04 i'm getting that not so fresh 70's feeling! |
| ruthless (Midtown Memphis) | Posted: Jul 11, 2007 - 08:02 Nice segue! NICE song and I have only found it on this recording. |
| MTlady (The other side of OZ) | Posted: Jul 11, 2007 - 08:02 Joni always reminds me of summer, wind chimes, and bare feet! |



Memories