Both Sides Now is a concept album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell that was released in 2000. It is her 17th studio album. The album won two Grammy Awards in 2001 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the song "Both Sides Now" and a Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.
Background and release
The album traces the progress of the modern relationship through Mitchell's orchestral renditions of classic jazz songs. Two of her own songs are included: "A Case of You" (1971) and "Both Sides Now" (1969). The orchestra was arranged and conducted by Vince Mendoza.
In the liner notes, co-producer Larry Klein describes the album as "a programmatic suite documenting a relationship from initial flirtation through optimistic consummation, metamorphosing into disillusionment, ironic despair, and finally resolving in the philosophical overview of acceptance and the probability of the cycle repeating itself".
A limited run of copies was released on February 8, 2000, in chocolate box packaging for Valentine's Day with several lithographs of Mitchell paintings. A jewel case edition was released on March 20, 2000.
On tour, Mitchell performed the songs in the same sequence as the album, but she opened with the overture "Nuages", the first movement from Nocturnes, an orchestral suite composed by Claude Debussy. "Nuages" is the French word for "clouds". Although the music sets a romantic mood, the use of this piece can be seen as a pun since Clouds is the name of the album on which the song "Both Sides Now" made its appearance.
Track listing
Personnel
Joni Mitchell – vocals
Mark Isham – trumpet
Richard Henry – bass trombone
Dave Stewart – bass trombone
Owen Slade – tuba
Wayne Shorter – soprano and tenor saxophone
Skaila Kanga – harp
Herbie Hancock – piano
David Arch – piano
Chuck Berghofer – bass guitar
Mike Brittain – bass guitar
Mary Scully – bass guitar
Chris Laurence – double bass
Peter Erskine – drums
Frank Ricotti – percussion
Andrew Findon – flute
Helen Keen – flute
Jamie Talbot – flute, alto flute, clarinet, alto saxophone
Philip Todd – flute, alto flute, clarinet
Stan Sulzmann – flute, clarinet
Nicholas Bucknall – clarinet
John Anderson – oboe
Sue Bohling – oboe, cor Anglais
Anthony Pike – clarinet, bass clarinet
Iain Dixon – clarinet, bass clarinet
Julie Andrews – bassoon
Gavin McNaughton – bassoon
Richard Skinner – contrabassoon
Andy Crowley, Derek Watkins, Gerard Presencer, John Barclay, Steve Sidwell – trumpet Hugh Seenan, John Pigneguy, Michael Thompson, Nigel Black, Paul Gardham, Philip Eastop, Richard Watkins – French horn Neil Sidwell, Pete Beachill, Peter Davies, Richard Edwards – trombone Antonia Fuchs, Ben Cruft, Boguslaw Kostecki, Cathy Thompson, Chris Tombling, David Woodcock, Dermot Crehan, Everton Nelson, Godfrey Salmon, Jackie Shave, Jim McLeod, Jonathan Strange, Julian Leaper, Katherine Shave, Maciej Rakowski, Matthew Scrivener, Michael McMenemy, Patrick Kiernan, Perry Montague-Mason, Peter Oxer, Rebecca Hirsch, Rita Manning, Roger Garland, Simon Fischer, Vaughn Armon, Warren Zielinski, Wilf Gibson – violin Bill Benham, Bruce White, Catherine Bradshaw, Donald McVay, Ivo Van Der Werff, Katie Wilkinson, Peter Lale, Rachel Bolt – viola Anthony Pleeth, Davd Daniels, Frank Schaefer, Helen Liebmann, Martin Loveday, Paul Kegg, Tony Lewis – cello Gavyn Wright – concertmaster, violin Vince Mendoza – arranger, conductor Gordon Jenkins – co-arranger on "Stormy Weather"
Charts
Certifications
References
External links
by Joni Mitchell from her 2000 album "Both Sides Now'" (with lyrics). (Video - 5:51 minutes)