if you get rid of the demons and the disturbing things then the angels fly off, too. The most powerful prose from the book for me is joni’s realism that feeling blue is more than a song title: “depression can be the sand that makes the pearl … most of my best work came out of it. yet only now – with yaffe’s poetic herstory – do i comprehend the wonderment of the woman who “forever changed the genre of the love song.” i came to appreciate joni mitchell in my 20s as i delved into leonard cohen and bob dylan and the enchantment of a 1967 new york. much like i do with “i walk the line”, which was recorded by johnny cash on ap(twenty-six years preceding my birth), i believe the music of the past makes a fine mix tape for the present. i was born into this mad crazy world that same year. Joni mitchell’s 1982 album release was called wild things run fast. “every bit of trouble i went through, i’m grateful for … bad fortune changed the course of my destiny.” (joni mitchell) they burn straight into the solitude of the soul. as she sings in “blue”, songs are like tattoos. her songwriting provides sweet soundscapes for us all. it’s the type of writing that is so raw and transparent that even i, as the reader, cannot help but feel a connection to the musician. Yaffe’s biography of the gritty gypsy is deep and moving. our canadian prairie poetess who brought a bohemian beatitude to the masses. like many free-spirited millennials who cite “river” as their favourite christmas song, swoon over her chronicled and convoluted romance with leonard cohen, mimic her leather and lace ensemble, and embrace her folk lyrics as love letters of their own, i’ve forever and a day adored joni mitchell. Reckless daughter: a portrait of joni mitchell by david yaffe has been my late night literary lullaby for the past few weeks.
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