Who Did It Better?
Both Sides Now
Both Sides Now is one of Joni Mitchell's most popular songs, though hardly her best. It did serve as a launching pad of sorts, although she was already well-established by the time it became part of the world's playlist.
Supposedly, Mitchell wrote the song in March of 1967, inspired by a passage in Henderson the Rain King, a 1959 novel by Saul Bellow. That has been somewhat disputed, because there exists a recording of her playing the song in a live set during 1966.
As Mitchell recalls:
"I was reading Saul Bellow's Henderson the Rain King on a plane and early in the book Henderson the Rain King is also up in a plane. He's on his way to Africa and he looks down and sees these clouds. I put down the book, looked out the window and saw clouds too, and I immediately started writing the song. I had no idea that the song would become as popular as it did."
The song was given to Judy Collins to record. It appeared on her Wildflowers album, which came out in October of 1967. A full year later, it would be released as a single, climbing all the way to #8 on Billboard's U.S. Pop chart, #3 on the Easy Listening chart, and #6 in Canada, thus becoming one of her signature tunes.
The song was given to Judy Collins to record. It appeared on her Wildflowers album, which came out in October of 1967. A full year later, it would be released as a single, climbing all the way to #8 on Billboard's U.S. Pop chart, #3 on the Easy Listening chart, and #6 in Canada, thus becoming one of her signature tunes.
A number of other people recorded the song in 1968, including Dave Van Ronk, Caudine Longet, Frank Sinatra, Leonard Nimoy, Marie Laforet, and Robert Goulet. I'm not including those recordings because they are all easy listening artists and, while they certainly hoped to appeal to the pop market, their eyes were really more on the night club crowd.
The only other version I am going to consider for this post is the one Anne Murray recorded for her 1968 debut album What About Me. Why? Because it marked the beginning of Murray's recording career, aimed at the pop/country market and... I am curious.
Mitchell, who is on record stating she never cared for Collin's version (despite the notoriety, attention and royalties it would bring her way), would include the song on her own album, 1969's Clouds (named after a lyric in the song).
Collins would go on to win a Grammy Award for Best Folk performance for her version, something that also probably irked the frequently prickly Mitchell.
Well, there's the story... now, on to the competition!
The Song: Both Sides Now
The Competitors: Collins vs. Mitchell vs. Murray
Both Sides Now - Judy Collins
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
Both Sides Now - Anne Murray
Judy Collins
Collins bird-like voice is an acquired taste. Thankfully, her vibrato is well-controlled at this stage in her career. Her particular vocal quality was popular at the time, as it sat right at home among the folk crowd. Here, her performance is definitely akin to that movement (think Joan Baez), but also a bit of a departure - hinting at the MOR direction Collins' career would eventually take.
The tempo is... rapid. Not having heard her version in some time, I am rather taken aback by it. The song actually has a natural, lovely lilt that I think a more relaxed approach would have brought out, however, consider the times, right? The aim was to get airplay on AM radio and that meant keeping things spritely.
The combination of Harpsichord and Hammond organ instantly date the recording, but in a charming way. When the strings enter during the second verse (right on cue, with the mention of the Ferris wheel) the whole thing ends up sounding a bit like a calliope, very carnivalesque, also a bit messy. The instruments seem to be competing with one another.
Collins' voice by the final verse is absolutely lovely - as strong and pure as it ever was; she does an incredible job riding above the din. Her delivery is precise and strident and it serves her well. Perhaps the producers, with achieving that vocal quality in mind, intentionally kept the pace brisk. The tempo helps minimize Collins' vibrato and natural airiness... an approach I think later recordings, such as Hard Time For Lovers, would have greatly benefited from.
Joni Mitchell
That lovely, full-bodied acoustic guitar sounds amazing. Mitchell immediately allows her voice to play in and out of the basic strumming, lilting into her head voice on occasion, bringing a sly syncopation the proceedings. Hers is a more studied reading. There is a wistful ache coloring her interpretation, which, in turn, reveals the emotional depths of the song. Her intimate knowledge of the song exposes the songwriter's intentions and that is at the heart of what we are examining today. A vocalist sings a song, but, and there are rare exceptions, a writer truly knows a song. Mitchell claims full ownership here. Hers is a sure, fully-informed, fully-realized performance.
That strummed acoustic guitar holds down the fort throughout the song, as we chug forward at a very comfortable pace, a truly lived-in tempo. Throughout, Mitchell's vocals toy with a bit of a jazz flavor, something she would continue to explore in later recordings, culminating in 1977's messy Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. I have to tip my hat to the producers, here. The sound is clean, potent and alive; it serves the singer and the song well and has held up nicely over time.
Anne Murray
That intro is a hot mess. Amazed Murray hits her mark. The producers have given her a 1950's girl-group reverb that is odd, considering it's 1968. The vocal quality is nothing like the Murray we would come to know in the late 70's, though I must say, I rather like her sound here. There's an emotional flatness that I find comforting.
Oh, my.... that bell (ding!). And those jangly guitars keep things mildly spicy (well, as spicy as Murray ever gets). I have to say, I dig this. It's not the countrified mess I was expecting, though it is definitely of a different time - I keep thinking about the dispassionate vocals of groups like The Shangri-las.
There's that bell, again. And the funky keyboard that breaks in during the bridge to the next verse... too funny. I can't get over how well-articulated Murray's performance is... so assured and grounded. Those ghost-like backing vocals that flit in and out? Love them. And what kind of organ is that? So fun, though it wears out its welcome on the instrumental fade. Too fun!
The Verdict:
Can we have a three-way tie?
The musical purist in me wants to go with Joni's version. My guilty-pleasure monster adores Anne Murrays' interesting take. And the pop historian in me is firmly in Judy's court, as hers is the version I grew up with.
Murray's surprised me the most. I wasn't expecting to get into it as much as I did, nor was I expecting that vocal quality. Judy's has aged badly... or is it my ears? The production is an absolute cluster with her vocals barely rising above the din. Mitchell's surprised me because hers is the most nuanced performance. The intimacy and immediacy she brings to the table is light years ahead of the other two, as are the production values.
And given that, I have to give this one to Joni.
Sometimes, songwriters know something about a song know one else can possible glean.
(By the way, I am in the process of adding this song to my set list. It's so sweet and wistful.)
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Well, that's my two-cents. Okay, your turn. Let me know what you think. Leave your thoughts in the comments section. I adore hearing your take on things.
That's all for this week.
Until next time... thanks for reading.
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5 comments:
Joni Mitchell was miles above the rest of her peers as far as life experiences of her age. Pregnant, unwed in college. She gave her child away and played music in clubs just to survive. She was an artist and a poet first.
Judy Collins was first known for her Irish folk songs with story like lyrics. I heard her in concert in 1965-66 before "Clouds". She had also just linked up with a young Leonard Cohen (during the Chelsea Hotel days) with a song called "Suzanne". However, she was a trained musician and in her career she even conducted a symphony orchestra. Joan Baez, on the other hand, stayed true to her protest roots her entire career.
Anne Murray could never make Big-big because of the weird facial expressions she made while she sang; very much like the Italian opera singer Cecelia Bartoli. Both, fabulous voices and musicians to listen to, but disasters on stage.
judy judy judy
Sad, perhaps, but none of them would get my vote - even though I like Murray's vocal tones better than either Collins (who is okay) or Mitchell (eek!).
Oh, Joni all the way.
And I had never heard the song, this was totally a love at first hearing thing. Next it would be Anne Murray's. I have not heard of her in YEARS.
The Judy Collins version is blah. Very, very dated (and Anne's sounds pretty dated, too. So go figure). I find her voice kinda irritating. And she had a career?
XOXO
Okay I am a lover of both Joni and Judy. Although Joni originally wrote and performed that song, there is something about Judy's interpretation of that song. That organ and the uptempo catches my attention every time. Joni's version is nice but I still like Judy's version best. As far as Anne Murray? It's nice that's about it.
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