Joni Mitchell 1966 Urge for Going

[weats]

this is such a haunting melody. the humble beat resembles the quiet beating of a broken heart and lays like railroad ties beneath a deeply moving tune, to carry one from a place of great loss and grief to acceptance.

It's almost a yearly thing that i think of this song. I don't know what it is about fall that makes everyone so reflective but this is surely a testament of its power and beauty.

I can only pray there will be a time when we can know such profoundness again in popular music.

[MilSepic60]

thanks clairdelune for this posting. Joni was a diamond on that old Oscar Brand show. I remember seeing a number of acts including Lonnie Johnson, Rambling Jack Elliot, this new duet called Simon and Garfunkel and a gospel group called the Chamber Brothers. Wish this series was available on DVD. Love seeing Joni again.

[sebuteo]

Brilliant! Love it! Joni: the greatest female artist history has so far produced, and amongst the greatest regardless of gender. This one stands out from the others of this period, as being more genuinely Joni. Fabulous, thanks for sharing this. I'm doing an in-depth review of all her early albums over at my blog, 'sounds from the funky goat', go have a look!

[hrhlynn]

Absolutely gorgeous.

[zamusicza]

I can't wait until this broiling summer is over I can walk to Joni on my ipod through the snow again.

[hrhlynn]

@zamusicza I get that!  Winter is for Joni and Fleet Foxes.

[iwantwatermellon]

I love her bangs. She can pull them off because she has a delicate nose. I have a large nose but I still want them. I wonder if that would look weird. Joni is great :)

[fosbury68]

The look of delight on Oscar's face at 3:29 is exactly how I feel.

[gagagoogooification]

This song is the B-side of "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" and again on her 1996 compilation album, Hits. This song was supposed to be on her Blue album, but got cut. It had commercial success by some country singer (not this guy in the video though) - Joni was only a song writer before she decided to come out as a SINGER songwriter...look at all the songs she wrote for others including Circle Game for Buffy St Marie and Both Sides Now for Judy Collins.....Woodstock for CSN - this list goes on

[mitchellboomphi]

Absolute f'ing MAGIC.

[robinspillman]

canada is misty morning dew!

[buckandotis]

the guy after kinda looks like lenny breau

[11xzxzxz]

Beautiful urge.

[dhyanawinant]

That could NOT be Jimmy Witherspoon. Jimmy Witherspoon is a black musician.

[moosewatches]

@dhyanawinant Jimmy Driftwood!

[SilveryScreen]

okay

[54taqiyya]

you see all the canadian guys looking all confused?

joni is an alien.

[54taqiyya]

@SilveryScreen lol, my way of complementing how good she is!! long time fan, even through don juan's restless daughter.

[SilveryScreen]

you're an alien.

[Hellishcrusade]

Reminds me when we used to get naked in the woods on Walpurgis Night.

[jimmy281059]

at 0.25 Jimmy looks like he´d keep asking himself, how the hell this celestial

human being could land in the middle of the show and sing in that way.......

[weats]

God, this song has me about in tears. I''ve heard it before this but it just puts words to the pain my heart's been walking ruts around lately.. It is SUCH an honor to be able to hear the early recordings of legends like her and Steely Dan. It's like watching a small child take his first steps knowing he's going to grow up to be a legendary gold medal Olympic runner and influence SO many other legends in turn.

Joni Mitchell is amazing.

[zamusicza]

Joni has a song for every single thing that could possibly be going on in my life. Good and bad. It's nice to have someone who understands me. We never met, and I wasn't even born when this was sung, but we know each other so well.

[4rainbowed]

Isn't that Harry Chapin and Tom Chapin alongside Joni? I believe they're waiting for their turn to perform. Joni Andersson was adopted, I think, and likewise, she had just put her own daughter up for adoption (the father was an aspiring musician).

[andyinoregon]

As great as this is, the definitive version for me is still the 1968 recording by Tom Rush (not available on YouTube) from his "Circle Game" LP. The depth of his voice and the guitar arrangement is unmatched even by Joni.

[lilyoidu]

@andyinoregon I'm with you Andy. Tom is"the man".

[UpstairsMaid]

@andyinoregon heard tom rush's version. in my opinion the ethereal bittersweet melancholy Joni creates here matches the feeling of the late canadian autumn perfectly and is a rare masterpiece while Tom's version is merely excellent.

[sparksparadise]

whoa... weren't we lucky to have had her a part our world?  Thanks, Joni, for putting it out there and sharing your music with all the rest of this crazy planet.

[nappadang1]

A masterpiece!!!!

[sunchilde68]

wow this is incredible,I LOVE JONI shes been a fav of mine 4 many moons. never seen footage of her this early B4,, thank U for puttin this up!

[unclebobunclebob]

Simply brilliant. Tony Rice does it justice, too.

[dugnsuz]

So clever and so beautiful...

[STFUGTFO1]

You can see a huge progression between the '65 videos and this. I'm guessing it was that she gave up Kelly (aka Kilauren). There's a new veneer of darkness in her face and her eyes that wasn't in the earlier videos.

Love this song....

[GPhalfpass]

I have forgotten how I love the early Joni Mitchell recordings....gorgeous..

[TheRjjrjjr]

When she is singing one of her own songs, it's as if the entire world stops to listen. Something magical happens. We all gather round to witness something unusual, something with the power to captivate. It's sometimes hard to break free and resume normal life after, maybe because I really don't want to. . . Thanks Joni, we love you still.

[HolyMotherofGrid]

@TheRjjrjjr Couldn't have said it better!!! There is something completely magical about her songs, and she sings them better than anyone else... unlike Dylan, whose skill at writing was simply NOT equaled by his equally unique but not all that "musical" voice, lol!! I would put Joni Mitchell on a par with Dylan overall - and she's certainly a LOT prettier, lo!!

[jjzuc]

Joni Mitchell was an alien!! No earthling is that good!! Everything she did was amazing and I am a pretty serious musician myself. She breaks every music rule in the book and does to perfection!!

[bookkeeper57]

I would hate to be the guy who had to follow that: his expression at the end of this clip says it all. The Phil Silvers clone

is Jim Driftwood: he is transfixed. The

bass note accents are being supplied by

Harry Chapin, just behind him. Joni sings one of her early songs; only 23 years old here.

[aenoch75]

this is one of the best songs ever written i love the csn version too

[raystargazer]

Yeah, no way she'll ever make it. Dumb ass. Go ask mommy to make you a sandwich and get back to cartoons. Two ways to deal with "MyBreathSmellsLikeShit" guy, have clairedelune49 remove him or just ignore him. Sooner or later he'll/she'll get back to smut surfing.

[billyscottbrandt]

@UrMomSmellsLikeShit

Of course you are kidding?

[UrMomSmellsLikeShit]

That over used vibrato has got to go. How the fuck this bitch ever make it. This shit is terrible, stop making me come back here to comment. It's killing my ears. This bucked toothed bitch can't sing.

[billyscottbrandt]

between this and comments left on my page......You have pissed me off....but that's probably what get's you off.

[UrMomSmellsLikeShit]

Truth gets me off. This bitch sucks. Some one obviously owed her a "return favor" if you know what I mean...

[bvojo]

have respect for parents idiot especially

a precious mother

[forgetmenotsireland]

This is a wonderful clip - her crystal clear vocal matches her 'silver' appearance - and the bell-like chiming of her acoustic guitar -so pure and crisp - perfection...

[coolanddark]

Incredible song!!! This is almost as good as Maniq47 cover!!

[StandUp555]

Joni is a polished diamond .. just beautiful !

[Bhuranyu]

I like the guy in the black hat. He looks like he's having a transformation experience.

[thismoment23]

hahahaha,...thats very funny,....

[clenbullard]

Some of us associate that with the cover by George Hamilton IV. It depends on which part of the country one is from.

[squeekytoy123]

Her litle smile at the end is precious.

And I loooove her finger picking. Everything about this song is gorgeous.

[jedmarum]

Great song.

[cdd37]

I don't know much about music, but that shift to a minor (?) @2:12 gives me goosebumps. SO beautiful! I can't think of any female musician I like any more than Joni Mitchell. For that matter, any musician.

[freim93]

The poetry of the lyrics is truly amazing!!

[giorgiopicker]

tnx x this

I recorded VanRonk singin this in rome...

lorrrd

gooseskin...

[cawiseguy]

I am always fascinated by the man with the glassess just stands there, processing what she is singing, The lyrics, the voice the woman. His mouth is just open--he's blown away!! So am I. Can you believe that this song is in standard tuning!! Joni can still wow them if she has half a mind. Love you Joni!!

[thetimecometh]

goosebumps...

[MROSEN62]

The look on Oscar Brand's face shows you that he is hearing something special. He has always had a great ear for music, but even he could not know that he was present at the creation.

[wellardbr]

Such a gracious person. Love her voice, her lyrics... her later woodstock "hymn" makes me cry every time.

[stevedonyoung]

One of Joni's most memorable songs - sheer poetry. Another great singer is Sandy Denny -'Here in silence' is a similar haunting melody to this one.

[missyen78]

my favourite song

[IDLERACER]

The official studio version of this turned up in 1972 on the B-side of "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio."

[manzi1hotmailcom]

Absolutely unique ...

Manzi

[ZebZachary]

she looks, sings, & plays like an honest-to-god Angel in this vid.

[librascorpluna]

this song was on the jukebox in Foxy's in Bellerose in the 70s. best jukebox in Queens, thank you Mike R.

[osahju914]

her version, or tom rush's?

[UpstairsMaid]

tom rush doesn't have a version, he has a cover.

[osahju914]

that is kinda true....as Idleracer said, Joni never recorded this until 1972, This song was almost going to Be on Blue instead of Little Green, as she wanted 2 older compositions on it....not sure which of the others was older on Blue, but I wish this was on it

[librascorpluna]

this song was on the jukebox in Foxy's in

Bellerose, NY in the 70s. Made me want to leave Queens.

[ramron333]

watch the guy behind her -hilarious

[max1190]

Also known as the enlarged prostate song.

[hanbanxxx]

she looks soooo beautiful here, everything is beautiful about her here, her voice, her lyrics, her hair, her complexion . . .

[sensei48]

Thanks sooo much, ClaieDL. I remember hearing this often on FM radio while in college - not on an album, so it's been decades since I heard it. Every bit as luminous as I remembered it.

[tannsolo]

cont:

ClairedeLune: Thank you so much for posting this, and for the perfect description: "This transcendently beautiful hymn to a summer romance that collapsed with the season. . . ."

Happy Autumn, everyone.

[tannsolo]

This has always been my favorite song to mark the transition from Summer to Autumn.

I had only heard the B-side version, which was recorded later (and which I, frankly, prefer). I came to youtube just now to see if a video existed and had NO IDEA that the song was performed as early at 1966. My God. Thought I might find something from the late '70's; have never seen film of folkie/lefties in the mid 60's.

[osahju914]

some country star recorded it in 1964 or 1965 or 1966, it was her first song to get major acclaim, and be sung on an album... tom rush made it big in '68 though

[UpstairsMaid]

consider that she's 22 here, she may have writeen this at like 18 or 19...unbelievable.

[n5882s]

The Best in Life!

[irelephant]

The Phil Silvers guy on her left is desperately trying not to melt. The other guys know she is stealing the show from them, yet she is melting them too. They were very fortunate to be in her presence as we are to have this video.

[n5882s]

I have been reading these posts for years but never have felt compelled to reply until your Phil Silvers message. Perfect, spot on, where else do you have such incisive comments?

[glendy1]

Joni is THE MASTER. Fabulous video of what I believe is the first song she wrote. It is a pleasure to see how she started. Now one of the best female musicians of our time.There will be an August 14 Joni tribute in DC at Swathmore.

[clairedelune49]

Search YouTube or Daily Motion for Joni Mitchell 1965 and you will find earlier songs

[munkabooka]

@clairedelune49 Tom Rush wrote this song

[tulifuli]

@munkabooka No, Joni wrote it. Do some net research if you can' feel it.

[moosewatches]

@clairedelune49 Actually, its Jimmy Dfirtwood. Witherspoon and Driftwood were both from Arkansas.

[moosewatches]

@clairedelune49 Actually, its Jimmy Drifttwood. Witherspoon and Driftwood were both from Arkansas.

[moosewatches]

@clairedelune49 Actually, its Jimmy Driftwood. Witherspoon and Driftwood were both from Arkansas.

[07201947]

Joni Mitchell is one of the giants, right up there with Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan. Her lyrics, even without her music, can stand alone as poetry. Fabulous

[thimoneus]

Oh my God, I had no idea this video existed. I don't think you can find video footage of Joni before she did that show, and Urge for Going is one of her best songs. This is just too good.

It is mind blowing that a person can be that talented.

[debsandiego]

Loved this song forever! Love Joni's personification in all of her songs, but in this song it is brilliant! Thank you so much for posting this!!!

[BerlinLynn]

OMG...look at ALL the men, even the musicians, just GAWKING at Joni!

[buckyboy2832y]

Can you blame them? :-)

Imagine going on after that. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be a letdown after that finish.

[highlandhearted]

Haunting and lovely...

[JacquesBrel11]

Excellent!

Do you know where to find Tom Rush's cover? I heard it once on the radio and thought it was probably better than the original, but there's only a remixed version of it on YouTube.

[hollipoppop]

amazing xxxx

[philipchek]

c'est zoli...

[curumina1]

thank you for posting... this is a true gem!