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A while ago my mom suggested that I might like Joni Mitchell. I thought maybe, or maybe not, as I recalled Emma Thompson’s characted in ‘Love, Actually’ didn’t actually love getting that Joni Mitchell cd from her husband. That could have been because she thought she was getting a gold necklace, but he gave that to his flirty assistant, so she got Joni instead and that’s not really the same as a piece of jewelry, is it? (Although I will admit that I think she should have liked the cd because it was personal and the necklace was just some random thing he picked at the store.)

I just finished reading Mindy Kaling’s book ‘Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?’ and she mentioned in there loving Joni Mitchell’s cd ‘Blue’. Well, she didn’t exactly say she loved it, she actually said it makes her cry whenever she listens to it. But what normal woman doesn’t try to make herself sad once in awhile? There’s a reason why Nicholas Sparks’ movies are still being made.

So I downloaded the album from iTunes (sorry Mom, you know that I always need a second opinion) and gave it a listen while having a bubble bath. Once in, I was suddenly angry at myself for forgetting to light candles. Can’t I even do tired cliches right?

Once I stopped berating myself, I noticed was that I couldn’t understand a darn thing that was being sung. I worried that my iPod stereo was acting up. Then, no word of a lie, I wondered if maybe she wasn’t singing in English. I could catch a random word here or there, but maybe they didn’t have that word in whatever language she was singing?

Then I realized it could be like reading Jane Austen or Shakespeare. That you had to get your brain used to the way it sounds before retention could actually happen. So I listened to the whole thing again. I liked the sound of the music, the melodies. But again, I didn’t have a clue what she was saying. A singer in a bar? There’s one song that she said Canada and I got that. My ears even perked up thinking I might really relate, being Canadian and all. Nope, ’cause I lost what she said after that.
I can honestly understand Bob Dylan better, and I really think that’s saying something.

I’ve never claimed to be a sophisticated musicado. In fact, I don’t even think that’s a word. I might have just made it up. I recently told a friend that I need lyrics that plainly state what the person is doing and feeling. Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ really spoke to me.

I promise to keep giving Joni a try, because I might get a lot of mean blog comments if I don’t but mostly because Adele’s cd is getting old and doesn’t make me cry anymore and I need something to go with my ice cream in bed. Take that, tired cliche. I am your master!