Both sides now. Joni Mitchell cover

Bootsy

After watching Joni's 75th birthday concert I felt inspired to try this one. It's played on a custom acoustic, hand built by my brother David Tonning. He gave it to me as a gift. I don't do either justice but...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K864wIWKsnlj5q7sZgqSy2Hq5n8D8i9r/view?usp=drivesdk

oat_phipps

Enjoyed listening. This I think is maybe the most heartbreaking song I've ever heard, not that it's sad per se, there's just something in it's idle musing that hits me.

If I may say (take it or leave it)....I'd like to hear it slowed down a bit and more deliberate, and also up a step or probably 1.5 steps. Your voice really starts hitting its sweet spot on the chorus, but I'm betting it could stretch up a bit, and that would make the verses more effective. Just one guy's opinion!

[Deleted User]

Really nice.
I think i’ve already told you that but i love your voice.
Ps: i need this guitar 😉😉.
Peace.
Flo

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

Nice take. Keep em coming.

McD

It's great when an artist does what you have done here: take a song that I have discounted due to
too many covers and present it so it sounds fresh and you can remember why it was such a big hit for
Judy Collins (Sweet Judy Blue Eyes). Judy mined the beautiful melody but didn't essay the feelings of the words for me. You took it back to Joni's emotional terrain and made he remember why she is probably
my favorite singer/songwriter. There's a recent "Joni's 70th Birthday Concert" and she asked Seal to sing this song and he conveys that same emotional context of wonder and doubt that comes with a deep look into yourself and the life you have experienced.

Nice guitar work and recording too.

I'm trying to re-gain my voice after a surgery and your vocal reminds me that a focus on breath control will pay back big dividends to find a voices character. Less can be so much more and it pulls the listener into your confidence.

Bootsy

Thank you, @oat_phipps, strangely enough I had been playing it with a capo on the second fret.. i liked it but i just thought it was a little high for me so i took it off and went with it straight.. I also have been struggling with the speed, no matter how slow i start it picks up speed once i hit the chorus.. so again settled on somewhere in between speed wise..
I will keep trying out different speeds and capo's. thanks again..

@oat_phipps said:
Enjoyed listening. This I think is maybe the most heartbreaking song I've ever heard, not that it's sad per se, there's just something in it's idle musing that hits me.

If I may say (take it or leave it)....I'd like to hear it slowed down a bit and more deliberate, and also up a step or probably 1.5 steps. Your voice really starts hitting its sweet spot on the chorus, but I'm betting it could stretch up a bit, and that would make the verses more effective. Just one guy's opinion!

Bootsy

@flo26 said:
Really nice.
I think i’ve already told you that but i love your voice.
Ps: i need this guitar 😉😉.
Peace.
Flo

Thanks so much @flo26! i really appreciate you listening. you have told me that but i always appreciate hearing it again:)

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
Nice take. Keep em coming.

Thanks @Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr, ill keep trying. I haven't recorded anything in quite a while, but i need to get back to it..

Bootsy

@McD said:
It's great when an artist does what you have done here: take a song that I have discounted due to
too many covers and present it so it sounds fresh and you can remember why it was such a big hit for
Judy Collins (Sweet Judy Blue Eyes). Judy mined the beautiful melody but didn't essay the feelings of the words for me. You took it back to Joni's emotional terrain and made he remember why she is probably
my favorite singer/songwriter. There's a recent "Joni's 70th Birthday Concert" and she asked Seal to sing this song and he conveys that same emotional context of wonder and doubt that comes with a deep look into yourself and the life you have experienced.

Nice guitar work and recording too.

I'm trying to re-gain my voice after a surgery and your vocal reminds me that a focus on breath control will pay back big dividends to find a voices character. Less can be so much more and it pulls the listener into your confidence.

thanks so much @McD! very kind and thoughtful response my friend. Im always amazed at how nice people are on here about my silly, simple covers.. i really appreciate you all! my best to you as you recover and regain your voice. that must be a scary thing to go through.. peace

McD

@Bootsy said:

@McD said:
It's great when an artist does what you have done here: take a song that I have discounted due to
too many covers and present it so it sounds fresh and you can remember why it was such a big hit for
Judy Collins (Sweet Judy Blue Eyes). Judy mined the beautiful melody but didn't essay the feelings of the words for me. You took it back to Joni's emotional terrain and made he remember why she is probably
my favorite singer/songwriter. There's a recent "Joni's 70th Birthday Concert" and she asked Seal to sing this song and he conveys that same emotional context of wonder and doubt that comes with a deep look into yourself and the life you have experienced.

Nice guitar work and recording too.

I'm trying to re-gain my voice after a surgery and your vocal reminds me that a focus on breath control will pay back big dividends to find a voices character. Less can be so much more and it pulls the listener into your confidence.

thanks so much @McD! very kind and thoughtful response my friend. Im always amazed at how nice people are on here about my silly, simple covers.. i really appreciate you all! my best to you as you recover and regain your voice. that must be a scary thing to go through.. peace

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?"

Bootsy

@McD said:

@Bootsy said:

@McD said:
It's great when an artist does what you have done here: take a song that I have discounted due to
too many covers and present it so it sounds fresh and you can remember why it was such a big hit for
Judy Collins (Sweet Judy Blue Eyes). Judy mined the beautiful melody but didn't essay the feelings of the words for me. You took it back to Joni's emotional terrain and made he remember why she is probably
my favorite singer/songwriter. There's a recent "Joni's 70th Birthday Concert" and she asked Seal to sing this song and he conveys that same emotional context of wonder and doubt that comes with a deep look into yourself and the life you have experienced.

Nice guitar work and recording too.

I'm trying to re-gain my voice after a surgery and your vocal reminds me that a focus on breath control will pay back big dividends to find a voices character. Less can be so much more and it pulls the listener into your confidence.

thanks so much @McD! very kind and thoughtful response my friend. Im always amazed at how nice people are on here about my silly, simple covers.. i really appreciate you all! my best to you as you recover and regain your voice. that must be a scary thing to go through.. peace

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?"

Nice! love that one too... might have to give it a try..

JanKun

Your voice is really beautiful. You "own" the song as if you wrote it. Amazing work, please don't call this silly or simple.

richardyot

Welcome back, it's been a while. I'm always happy to listen to your wonderful singing.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Bootsy

@JanKun said:
Your voice is really beautiful. You "own" the song as if you wrote it. Amazing work, please don't call this silly or simple.

Thank you @JanKun, sorry my self deprication came off annoying. I was just comparing what I do to all of the really talented folks on this forum who compose and write all these intricate beautiful pieces of music.

@richardyot said:
Welcome back, it's been a while. I'm always happy to listen to your wonderful singing.

Thanks @richardyot! I always appreciate you listening and commenting. I haven't been doing much recording lately but I'm always hanging on the forum. I did subscribe to your YouTube channel and enjoy your videos. I love all your new tunes as well. Cheers!

@EyeOhEss said:
Thanks for sharing this. Really nice version.

Joni’s near top of the list of heavy rotation artists in our house in hope of quietly brain washing our kids in to having good taste when they’re older

Thank you @EyeOhEss. I love Joni. I was thrilled when her birthday tribute dvd came out and saw that she is still with us. Seeing some of my favorite artist performing amazing versions of her songs for her was inspiring and got me back in front of the mics.