Today marks Canadian singer-songwriter Joni
Mitchell’s 74th birthday. Best known for singles like “Big
Yellow Taxi” and “Help Me,” has released 19 studio albums over her
four-decade-long career and received numerous awards for her work. Blending
jazz, folk and pop, her music stand out from her contemporaries and made her a
hit with both fans and critics.
To celebrate her birthday, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s
music outlet, is taking a look at Joni Mitchell’s highest charting United
States hits. Here are the top seven, which span the singer’s most iconic and
influential years.
1.
“Help Me”: “Help Me” was Michell’s only number
one hit in the United States, taking the top spot on the adult contemporary
charts, and reaching number seven on the Billboard 100. The second single from
1974’s ‘Court and Spark,’ Rolling Stone even called it one of the “greatest
songs of all time.”
2.
“Free Man in Paris”: The follow-up single to “Help
Me,” “Free Man in Paris” was almost as successful. The song, written about
David Geffen (the head of her label), hit number 2 on the US adult contemporary
chart and number 22 on the Billboard 100.
3.
“Big Yellow Taxi” (Live): Surprisingly, “Big
Yellow Taxi” wasn’t initially a big hit for Mitchell in the US, even though it
was a big hit in her native Canada, as well as the UK and Australia. The original
only reached number 67. When she released the live version on her album ‘Miles
of Aisles,’ the song gained ground, reaching number 24 on the charts.
4.
“You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio”: Written
specifically to be played on the radio, “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio” was
successful in its mission. The song reached number 13 on the adult contemporary
chart and 25 on the Billboard 100.
5.
“(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care”: Originally
performed by Elvis Presley in his film ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ Mitchell had a modest
hit with “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” herself. Included on and
released as a single from her 1982 album ‘Wild Things Run Fast,’ the song reached
number 47 on the Billboard 100.
6.
“Raised on Robbery”: ‘Court And Spark’ was a big
album for Mitchell, as all three of its singles were hits. We’ve already
mentioned two of them higher on this list, but “Raised on Robbery” also makes
the cut. The album’s first single went to number 65 on the Billboard 100 and number
40 on the adult contemporary chart.
7.
“In France They Kiss on Main Street”: Mitchell’s
1975 album ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’ was initially panned by critics, but fans
of hers proved them wrong by making album’s first and only single, “In France
They Kiss on Main Street,” a hit. The song reached number 66 on the Billboard
100 chart and number 32 on adult contemporary.
Joni Mitchell is one of the most influential female artists
of the last half-century. Her unique blend of folk, jazz and pop, and her unmatched
music style have been inspiring fans and other artists for decades. As people
continue to share her music with others, her influence will be felt by more
generations to come.
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Find music from Joni Mitchell and other influential artists
at Vinyl Bay 777. Long Island’s top new independent record shop has thousands
of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. Browse our wide selection of
new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store
at our Plainview location or shop online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles
being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find
at Vinyl Bay 777.
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