Alas, this one is not on time, but merely a week late. Still better than two weeks late....
As I was doing my half-assed research this week, I learned that this week's song was written in response to a song written by last week's artist, Neil Young, called "Sugar Mountain." Oh, the things you learn--and the odd coincidences--here on Friday Night Jukebox! For my loyal readers (all three of you), my introduction to this week's tune was probably listening to the radio in the seventies, though my reintroduction and love of the song came sometime in the nineties when I scored a free copy of this week's artist's greatest hits. Pretty sure I've had much cooler intros to our featured songs....
I wrote about Joni Mitchell in Vol. LXXXIII, and for the life of me, I don't know why I didn't mention the aneurysm she had in 2015 (though I seem to recall there was some question for a while as to exactly what had caused her health crisis). Though Mitchell had to learn to talk, walk, and play her guitar again, she managed to do so and returned to performing on a limited basis in 2023 to much acclaim. As if her health struggles and return to performing weren't enough, Mitchell has also won two more Grammy Awards since I last wrote of her.
Fun Fact: In solidarity with Neil Young, Mitchell pulled all of her music from Spotify in protest of piece of shit Joe Rogan's lies about the COVID-19 pandemic (both reinstated in 2024). Mitchell also believes Donald Trump to be a piece of shit. Even more reasons to like her!
"The Circle Game" was first written in 1966 (and was recorded by two other artists before Mitchell's version) but did not appear on an album of hers until 1970 on the rather deeply entitled Ladies of the Canyon. The song was not released as a single by Mitchell, while the album would reach #27 on the Billboard 200.
In response to Neil Young's lamenting turning twenty (oh, the horror--note that "Sugar Mountain" is one of my favorite songs by Young), Mitchell composed this week's tune to give herself (and all of us) a little more hope on aging. At song's end, Mitchell has turned the tables and made note of the new dreams we have with aging, which replace those we had when we were younger. Mitchell's vocals are sweet and stunning, lingering on each word with the caress of the angels. The music is as hopeful as the song's theme, and features--emaycee fave!--a catchy as all hell catchy chorus. Mitchell was all of twenty when she wrote "The Circle Game"--and it certainly seems the hope she sought was found, and the new dreams she had came true. A wondrous song from a wondrous talent. [Aside: Bonus points for using the word grandeur in the lyrics--how many pop songs have used grandeur in the lyrics?]
Lyric Sheet: "So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty/Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true/There'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty/Before the last revolving year is through..."
Enjoy:
Bonus--the song that inspired it:
Fuck Donald Trump
Peace,
emaycee
