Why is Joni Mitchell considered such a great songwriter?

Answer 1

Have you HEARD her music? It's amazing!

If you listen to Joni Mitchell a lot, and then listen to many of the singer-songwriters who are all over the charts these days (i.e. Jewel, KT Tunstall, Ani DiFranco, Sarah McLachlan and more) you will realize that her music has influenced them all. They imitate the way she uses alternate tunings, the formats of her songs, and so forth.

As a guitarist, I don't think I'll ever get tired of playing and singing Joni Mitchell's music. It's just a real pleasure to play.

And also as a lyricist, she came up with some turns of phrase that just aren't imitated by a lot of people. Consider songs like "A Case of You", "All I Want" and "Rainy Night House", just to name three, and you'll see just how well-written her lyrics are.

I can go on and on about Joni Mitchell, but hopefully you'll get the idea. In my mind she belongs on the short list of best singer-songwriters ever.

Answer 2

Joni wrote songs with substance - social issues, politics and relationships - at a time, the 1960s and 70s, when people cared about more serious issues.

Today in 2007, there are talented singers - Mariah, Beyonce, et al - however they sing about issues that are not controversial such as love, desire, and heartbreak. Because these topics have been covered countless times, they are appreciated but not unique.

When Joni sings about government and business misleading or exploiting people, you feel her sincerity.
She challenges you to think about the human spirit.
She asks you to think about more than simple love.
She invites thought in her songs.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Everything written so far has been spot on. Just an addition; are you familiar with the tune "Woodstock" made popular by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young? Joni wrote it. Don't listen to it, get the lyrics and read it. It's a true chronicle of an event that shaped all that we listen to musically. The chorus refain (something that isn't clear in the recorded version mentioned) is quite thought provoking.

Answer 4

Joni Mitchell is a master of crossing genres. Beginning her career as a folk performer, Mitchell went on to create several early folk-pop masterworks. After her 1973 Grammy for her album Court And Spark, she became known for creating epic, anthemic tunes like "Down To You", "Song For Sharon", and "Paprika Plains"-- songs which created a bridge between the L.A. folk scene and the L.A. jazz scene of the early 1970's, performing with and co-writing music with many notable jazz performers and legends, among them The Crusaders, Tom Scott, and Charles Mingus. She is quite notably an early benefactor to Jaco Pastorius, whom many in the jazz world consider to be the finest jazz bass player who ever lived and who performed on four of Mitchell's albums.

Joni Mitchell took the folk ethic and broadened it by fusing it with jazz, incorporating elements of classic Cole Porter-style pop songwriting with African and Brazilian rhythms, creating an entirely different and unique style that is frequently imitated but never duplicated.

Answer 5

HAVE YOU HEARD HER STUFF.
Its beautiful, The words she uses her voice how much passion you can feel in her music. She wrights from the heart not many artist today do that. the only one I can think of is Fiona Apple.

Answer 6

She writes great songs!