Hits - Joni Mitchell

Advantages: classic songs, expert track arrangement, aesthetically-pleasing packaging and liner notes, full lyrics provided, broad appeal
Disadvantages: Cardboard/paper packaging can rip and fray, CD easily falls out of case, album only concerned with her biggest 'hits', not necessarily most beloved songs

When I think of Joni Mitchell, I think of my childhood. Even though I was born waaaaay after she burst on the '60s California music scene and became internationally renowned for her music, I was raised listening to her. My recovering-hippie mom used to sing "The Circle Game" to me when I was a baby; when I was first learning how to play piano, I found the sheet music for "Both Sides Now" and taught myself how to play it. And of course, we always ...
...all the words to "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Chelsea Morning" before I hit high school. Because of this, getting to know Joni Mitchell's music was never an issue for me; I've always known it, and I've always loved it. However, I didn't purchase "Hits" until a few years ago. We had nearly all of her albums on CD, but I was intrigued by this collection. I put it on the stereo and was not disappointed, and neither were my parents. To a longtime fan like ... Read review

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: None

This collection came out in 1996, and it try's to put together the more popular of her tracks,with the likes of an artist like Joni Mitchell no collection that a record company puts out is going to cover such a long and varied recording career as hers. The "Hits" compilation tries to cover the more popular tracks from Ms Mitchell. The more interesting album is the "Misses" collection released at the same time as this one. The songs presented here ...
...as a "HDCD" (high definition compact disc), giving the tracks a rich warm sound that brings out the detail that was lost in the previous pressings of her albums on C.D. The problem I have with this anthology is that the tracks are not in Chronological order. The running order is all over the place historically, we start with an early recording from 1967 "Urge for Going". Then from the 1969 album "Clouds" comes "Chelsea Morning" then from the key ... Read review

Advantages: All the great hits in one cd package.
Disadvantages: Allways going to miss at least one song you want to have on here.

...Bought the album and have played it so many times that my wife must be going mad, she hates her music as much as I love it. From the first track to the last this album is full of all her hits. If you are new to her this is a great album to buy, as this will give you a taste of a lot of her albums. Most people think that she has one song Big yellow taxi, but I would recommend Chinese cafe from Wild things run fast, other songs like Be cool, For the roses and Heijira. This greatest hits spans her working career from the early days of the late 60's upto the late 90's. This means that you can see the way her music has changed in her opinions and beliefs as she has grown through her life and career. Joni Mitchell in my opinion is an acquired taste, but if you like this greatest hits, then you will go seek out her other albums. Her style... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average not helpful

Advantages: Sensual guitar solos's ; Good lyrical craftsmanship ; A good folk rock offering
Disadvantages: Some may find certain songs depressing ; Not as good as Young's pervious three iconic albums ; Not much in the way of linear notes

...one of the best live albums ever created. Then my curiosity took me into the weird and wonderful 'On the beach' lp. Neil Percival Young was born on November 12th, 1945 in Toronto, Canada. His father was a great talent himself a sportswriter and novelist. He spent the majority of his youth in a small town called Omemee, which he later wrote his hit song 'helpless' on. Tragically when he was six years old he caught a bad case of polio which weakened the left side of his body badly, he still walks with a limp as a result. His parents divorced when he was 12 and he moved back to Winnipeg with his mother and attended the local high school. He played in a variety of local rock outfits before befriending fellow folk stars Joni Mitchell and Steven Stills. He had fair success with a band called 'The buffalo Springfield' which projected... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: You get to hear a more mellow, mature Joni singing lots of romantic songs.
Disadvantages: Not all the songs will appeal to everyone.

...words or X-rate innuendo, but rather hints to the more romantic love that seems to have gone out of fashion in today's music. But good songs do not always a good album make. What makes or breaks an album is what you hear when you listen. That means vocals and background music. To begin with, Joni Mitchell has a very versatile voice with an extremely large range. She can hit the high notes with as much true ease as she hits the low notes - something that I can only compare to Barbara Streisand. But while Barbara has a very clear, if slightly nasal voice, Joni's has a bit of a heavier, more chesty quality to it, which this collection of songs brings forth with an amazing freshness, that does not lack maturity in the least. In fact, I'd say that this is probably Joni's most mature sounding album to date, and that her voice here has... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful