Hi everyone,

One of the first things I ever read about Prince in the mid-'80s was that Joni Mitchell's "Hissing of Summer Lawns" was the "last album he loved all the way through." (At that time).

When I hear "Shadows and Light" (the last track on HISSING), I am immediately drawn to the fact that the vocal layering seems so close to what Prince does at the end of "Adore" on "Sign 'O' the Times."

I'm just wondering if anyone else here has heard that album, and whether or not they have detected other Prince songs that have a Joni Mitchell influence in them (beyond reference to her in lyrics).

Oh...and if you've never heard HISSING, I highly recommend it. Far ahead of its time for 1975 and some very complex, haunting music!

Paul
[This message was edited Wed Mar 20 10:49:40 PST 2002 by geminipaul]
[This message was edited Wed Mar 20 10:50:06 PST 2002 by geminipaul]

I have that album and I love it a lot. I don't see a lot of resemblance though. But then I don't have the most musicaly trained pair of ears either.

If U know some more of Joni's work, U also know that Prince took a lot of pointers from her. She's omnipresent in his more 'sparse' arrangements.

U can hear a definite Joni influence on TRC as well.

But with songs like the ones on "The Truth" and especially "One Nite Alone" [what we've heard of it this far] even a man with tin ears can hear Joni's influence.

Listen 2 her album "Blue".....


DOING.

DigitalShogun said:

I remeber this album for a much for different reason: A lot of the guys were holdovers from (Jazz) Crusaders, Steely Dan and Tom Scott sessions. A pretty little piece of pop-jazz,LA style

Geminipaul I read this too about 4 or 5 yrs ago and picked up Joni's cassette to check it out myself.

When I picked it up it was summertime and it is a very interesting album.

I can hear why he liked it to a degree.

Another influence of his was Janis Ian's "Seventeen" which influenced the song "Cirlce of Amour" from the Truth CD.

And another influence on Prince is Andreas Vollenheimer (sorry if i misspelled). who Prince used to play his album before his concert started to the audiences.

peace!

"Hissing of Summer Lawns" is in my all time top ten...

"It takes a heart like Mary these days when your man gets weak."

Lisa was actually the one that hipped Prince to Joni.

U can really hear it in alot of the Revolution tracks.

I love it on AbFab when Patsy starts singing "The Hissing of Summer Lawns, oooooh..."

I always wanna sing it in that oafish drugged-out Patsy Stone voice whenever I hear mention of that title, I can't help it...

Other than that, I LOVE this album. Probably the only Joni album I've heard that I enjoy from start to finish. Yum.

Joni's influence on Prince is truly evident in these songs:

1. Condition of the Heart
2. Venus De Milo
3. Muse 2 the Pharoah
4. Pearls Before the Swine (sp?)
5. The entire One Nite Alone album
6. Let's Have A Baby
7. Circle of Amour
8. One of Your Tears
9. I Love You But I Don't Trust You Anymore

Don't forget "Tangerine"

chickengrease said:

chickengrease said:Joni's influence on Prince is truly evident in these songs:

The entire One Nite Alone album

You've heard the entire One Night Alone album?
Is there a bootleg copy or advance copy being circulated?
Not that I'm looking - just curious.

PFunkjazz said:

Joni's influence on LIL MAN is unmistakable. I love "Court And Spark". I think that album had an influence on him. He even quoted her on "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker". Hey PFUNKJAZZ just out of curiousity since I know you're a jazz fan like me...what do you think of her work with legendary bassist Jaco Pastorious???

* Brother 9/15 aka CR3

Brother915 said:

I don't really care for MINGUS, but the live set: SHADOWS AND LIGHT is INCREDIBLE: Pat Metheny (guitar), Jaco Pastorius (bass), Lyle Mays (keyboards), and Michael Brecker (saxophone)!! There's a lot of freespirited jamming on behind Joni's back. LOL Metheny and Jaco kinda conspired to shake things up and Joni clued in and learned a lot from those guys. This one's really great!!!!

I'm supposed to cop some tix for Metheny on this Sat.....

PFunkjazz said:

Hey man I got my tickets for April 2nd here in Atlanta. Can't wait. I'm digging their latest CD "Speaking Of Now". Got some tight stuff on there. I particularly like "Proof".

Brother 9/15 aka CR3

Brother915 said:

I 'm just holdong out for good seats. Past 2 weeks I've seen Maceo, Herbie Hancock and John Scofield, Then there's KENNY GARRETT next week, plus I got FRED WESLEY coming at monthend. Pocketbook may be a little tapped out and Pat will do fine without my support.

I love Joni, though I have to say I prefer 'Blue' and 'Court & Spark' to 'The Hissing Of Summer Lawns'.
I think you can definitely hear the 'Blue' era Joni's influence on Prince's 'Sometimes It Snows In April'.
(Oh & 'Harry's House/Centrepiece' is brilliant)