THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

637-Joni Mitchell-Big Yellow Taxi.

1970-Number 11 single.

Best Bit-At 2.08. Joni Mitchell laughing at her own vocal gymnastics.

Joni Mitchell (see also best songs 637 and 558) was born Roberta Joan Anderson, on November 7th, 1943, in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada. She is recognised as one of the most influential singer/songwriters in the genre of ‘Folk Music,’ with the American online music database ‘AllMusic,’ going even further with their statement,’Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th Century.’ As well as ‘Folk Music,’ Joni Mitchell has also recorded Albums in the genres of ‘Pop,’ ‘Jazz,’ and ‘Rock,’ and along with writing and producing, she is known for playing the guitar, and piano. In 2008 she was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone’s magazine ‘100 Greatest Singers’ list, then in 2015, she was ranked ninth on their list of the ‘100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,’ and in 2023 the same publication named her the 9th greatest guitarist of all time, and the highest ranked female on the list.

The discography of Joni Mitchell includes 19 studio Albums released between 1968-2007, and 33 singles released between 1968-2000, there are also 15 official compilation Albums, and six live Albums available. In Canada, Joni Mitchell has had eight top 40 hit singles, with ‘Help Me,’ from 1974, peaking the highest at Number 6, with ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ making Number 14. She has also charted as the guest artist on the 1997 track ‘Got ’til It’s Gone,’ by Janet Jackson, with Q-Tip, which reached Number 19, as well as also charting at Number 6 in the UK. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, Joni Mitchell has had four top 40 hits, with ‘Help Me’ peaking the highest at Number 7. On Billboard ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ stalled at Number 67, but a live version, did make Number 24 in 1974. In the UK ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ remains as her only top 40 hit, when reaching Number 11 in 1970.

‘Big Yellow Taxi’ was the only single released from Joni Mitchell’s third studio Album ‘Ladies of the Canyon,’ from April 1970, as well as writing and producing all 12 tracks on the Album, she was also responsible for creating and painting the Album’s cover sleeve. Joni Mitchell is a very talented painter, who has described herself as a ‘Painter derailed by circumstance.’ ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ is a song about the damage being done to the environment, with Joni Mitchell explaining,’I wrote ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ on my first trip to Hawaii. I took a taxi to the hotel, and when I woke up the next morning, I threw back the curtains and saw these beautiful green mountains in the distance. Then, I looked down and there was a parking lot as far as the eye could see, and it broke my heart… this blight on paradise. That’s when I sat down and wrote the song.’ ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ also reminds us not to take anything for granted, and that if we don’t make a stand to protect the natural world, it will all be gone tomorrow. In the final verse Joni’s ‘old man’ is taken away in a big yellow taxi. This refers to an old boyfriend being arrested by the Canadian police, for being an environmental activist. In Toronto, Canada, many of the police vehicles were yellow, with red flashing lights on the roof, and this is from where the song takes it’s title.

According to Joni Mitchell’s official Website, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ has been recorded by 556 other artists as of June 5, 2023. Other notable versions include the 1995 recording by the American singer Amy Grant, who took her version to Number 20 in the UK, with slightly changed lyrics, at the request of Joni Mitchell, to bring the song more up to date. In 2002 the American Rock group ‘Counting Crows,’ with backing vocal by the American singer Vanessa Carlton, reached Number 16 in the UK, after being featured in the film ‘Two Weeks Notice.’ Aside from Joni Mitchell’s live recording, the only version of ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ to chart within the top 40 on Billboard in America, is the 1970 cover by the ‘Neighborhood,’ which reached Number 29, and also peaked at Number 19 in Australia.

‘They took all the trees, put ’em in a tree museum, and they charged the people a dollar and a half just to see ’em. Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone? They paved paradise, put up a parking lot.’