We often see the word “hero” and “heroine” bandied around in the music world. But, in reality, there are very few that justify that tag. However, this lady does. She has written some songs that can only be described as classics. So, I decided to take a look at one of them and consider the meaning behind “Both Sides, Now” by Joni Mitchell.
Early Life
Roberta Joan Anderson, or Joni Mitchell, was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She is of Scottish and Irish descent. She didn’t do so well at school, aside from painting and subjects that encouraged her creative side. One of her teachers encouraged her to write poetry. She included a dedication to him on the sleeve of the first Joni Mitchell album.
She dropped out of school early and started hanging out with some dubious characters. Fortunately, she saw what was going on and left their company before she started committing crimes.
Love And Peace
Joni got herself assimilated into the 60s Love and Peace movement in Southern California. It was there that her creativity burst onto the music scene. Interestingly, at this time, I think she may have still preferred to have been a painter than a singer-songwriter.
She made memorable recordings, including one considered by some as one of the best albums ever made by anyone, Blue. Also, we have many memorable Joni Mitchell songs, and “Both Sides, Now” is one of them. She included it on her 1969 album, Clouds.
The song was a huge success for Mitchell…
But, it might be best remembered by some as a song by Judy Collins. Collins released the song in 1978 before Joni’s album came out to a staggering response.
Chart-wise, the Collins version reached #8 in America and #14 in the UK. The Joni Mitchell version of “Both Sides, Now” didn’t make a chart. The Collins version was arranged using a harpsichord and was aimed at commercial success. I am not sure Mitchell would have appreciated that.
It is said that there have been about 1500 official covers of “Both Sides, Now”. And it seems to have been included in endless TV shows and films. Its status as a timeless piece of work is assured.
The Writing Of The Song
With songwriters like Joni Mitchell and others of her poetic persuasion, it is usually something that creates the idea for a song. It could be an experience they had or an observation of things happening around them. Often they inspire the writers to create songs that have the greatest lyrics. This is a good case in question.
An Early Composition
Joni Mitchell wrote “Both Sides, Now” when she was still in her early 20s. The infancy in terms of her music career. Almost unknown at that time. She was traveling on a plane and reading a book, Henderson The Rain King by Saul Bellows.
There is a section at the beginning of the book where he gets on a plane to travel to Africa. He talks in the book, albeit in a slightly different context, about seeing the clouds from outside the window of the plane.
She stopped reading, and as she looked out of her window at a similar scene, the song began to formulate in her mind. Joni had seen the clouds from below as the plane departed and now views them from above.
So, What Is The Meaning Behind “Both Sides, Now” by Joni Mitchell?
It is a song in three parts, each part with its own verses and each part having a lyrical link to the other two.
The First And Second Verse
Mitchell is the main character in the first verse, the protagonist if you like. She sings in a mode that might make you think she had gone back in time to her childhood, when life was easy to understand.
She talks of the clouds reminding her of “Angel hair and castles made from ice cream.” Seeing clouds as “feather canyons.” She soon moves into a more adult view for the second verse, telling us that clouds “only block the sun.” And all they do is give us rain and snow.
Also, she talks about looking back on life and telling us there were so many things she could have done. But, the clouds “got in my way.” The verse finishes and moves to a chorus. It ends with her saying it is the illusion of it all that is her clearest vision and that she really “Don’t know clouds at all.”
Verse Three and Four
The illusion theme is maintained in the third verse as she talks about love. Joni Mitchell’s private life had been somewhat difficult up to this point, and that may have affected her viewpoint.
She talks about the excitement of new love, like being a visit to a Ferris wheel. How the emotions on the ride can turn you upside down. She talks about love and says at first, “Every fairy tale comes real.” The bitterness of past relationships seems to enter her mind now as she suggests that even if you care, “Don’t let them know.”
The chorus follows, and she ends it in the same way as she did in the previous chorus. Before, she said, “Don’t know clouds,” but now she is saying that she really “Don’t know love at all.”
Finally, To Verses Five and Six
This is her now in a reflective mood. In verse six, she talks about her friends acting strange. She says they say, “I’ve changed.” Then, she closes the chorus by completing the link with the other two choruses. She says it’s the illusions of life she remembers, not the reality, and she really doesn’t, “Know life at all.”
The choruses have a very clever way of linking emotions and thoughts. And remember, these are lyrics from a young unknown songwriter. She is looking at herself, love, and life from both sides now. And, finally, she admits she really doesn’t know any of them.
Why Does The Song Remain So Popular?
I think it resonates in one way or another with all of us. It has images created within the lyrics that we all recognize. And, the meaning is oh so relevant to everyone.
Maybe that is why so many people have made cover versions of the song and included it in their live performances. It gives off a message with a serenity that is typical of the woman.
And, it is interesting that the meaning only seems to get more relevant not only to everyone but to us all as individuals. For a song written over 55 years ago, that is still able to touch people speaks volumes for its quality. But that was Joni Mitchell. Songwriter extraordinaire.
For The Technical People
For those that are interested in these things, she uses an interesting tuning for her guitar. That tuning is D, A, D, F#, A, and D. The chord progression she uses is a modified version of I – IV – V. She plays it with a capo on the fourth fret.
A Huge Occasion
For five days at the end of August 1970, the Isle of Wight in the UK played host to what was the biggest festival attendance of the era. Bigger even than Woodstock. We had gone to see Free and The Who, Rory Gallagher, and a friend who was drumming for Tony Joe White. After Tony Joe, we were to get our first glimpse of the excellent band Chicago.
But, it was the Saturday, as I recall, that made a few of us sit up and take notice…
Joni Mitchell started her set and was interrupted by someone protesting something. He was dragged off the stage to the boos of a section of the crowd. A young Joni Mitchell took to the mic and castigated the 600,000 present, demanding respect for the artists.
When she finally got them to shut up, she finished her rather reduced set with “Both Sides, Now”. She just had something about her. A sense of peace in her anger at the crowd. She had a low-key presence that asked us all to listen, and we did. That recording is the Isle of Wight from 1970.
She was in her 20s then. Life was good, and the future was still to come. Fifty-two years later, she sang the song again at the Newport Festival in 2022. By then, at 78, she had been very sick, and life was precious.
Want To Learn About The Meaning Behind Other Famous Songs?
Well, then check out our thoughts on the Meaning Behind “Edge of Seventeen” Song By Stevie Nicks, The Meaning Behind Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 Hit “Time After Time”, The Meaning Behind “With or Without You” by U2, The Meaning Behind “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones, and The Meaning Behind “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd for more fascinating song insights.
The Meaning Behind “Both Sides, Now” by Joni Mitchell – Final Thought
The song meant plenty at twenty years old. It meant even more at 78. Hearing her sing at that age was like listening to the playback of a song stored in a time capsule written about her life. If you’re going to watch, as I suggest you do, have a box of tissues with you. You will need them.
Until next time, happy listening.
