Court and Spark
Encyclopedia
Court and Spark is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell
. Released in January 1974, the album saw Mitchell infusing her folk-rock style, which she developed throughout her previous five albums, with jazz
inflections. A very accessible and commercially appealing album, Court and Spark was Mitchell's commercial and popular triumph—it was not only praised by critics but was also received very warmly by the public, becoming her most successful album. It reached #2 in the United States and #1 in Canada and eventually received a Double Platinum certification by the RIAA, the highest during Mitchell's career. It was voted the best album of the year for 1974 in The Village Voice
Jazz & Pop Critics Poll.. In 2003 it was listed at #111 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
, was released in November 1972 to critical and commercial success, and Mitchell decided to spend the whole next year writing and recording a new album that revealed her growing interest in new sounds—particularly jazz. During 1973, her stage appearances were fewer than in previous years. She performed in April in a benefit concert at the Sir George Williams University Auditorium and then appeared live again in August twice at The Corral Club, accompanied by Neil Young
. She spent most of the year in the recording studio, creating Court and Spark. Finally, in December, Reprise released a new single, her first in over a year, "Raised on Robbery". The public was surprised as Mitchell had released a rock'n'roll number in the old-fashioned style of the 1950s. Perhaps because of this unexpected artistic move, the single only reached #65 on the Billboard Singles Charts.
Court and Spark was released in January 1974. Critics and the public enthusiastically embraced the album, and its success was reaffirmed when the follow-up single "Help Me" was released in March. It received heavy radio airplay and became Mitchell's first and only Top 10 single in the Billboard charts, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100
in the first week of June, and reaching #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Court and Spark went on to be a big seller that year, peaking at #2 on the Billboard album
charts and staying there for four weeks. The album became the pinnacle of Mitchell's commercial success. The album was kept from the top spot by three #1 albums—in order Bob Dylan
's Planet Waves
, Barbra Streisand
's The Way We Were and John Denver
's Greatest Hits
.
Side one
Side two
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
. Released in January 1974, the album saw Mitchell infusing her folk-rock style, which she developed throughout her previous five albums, with jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
inflections. A very accessible and commercially appealing album, Court and Spark was Mitchell's commercial and popular triumph—it was not only praised by critics but was also received very warmly by the public, becoming her most successful album. It reached #2 in the United States and #1 in Canada and eventually received a Double Platinum certification by the RIAA, the highest during Mitchell's career. It was voted the best album of the year for 1974 in The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
Jazz & Pop Critics Poll.. In 2003 it was listed at #111 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
History
1973 was the first year since she started recording that Mitchell didn't release a new album. Her previous offering, For the RosesFor the Roses
For the Roses is a 1972 album by Joni Mitchell, between her two biggest commercial and critical successes - Blue and Court and Spark. Despite this, in 2007 it was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry...
, was released in November 1972 to critical and commercial success, and Mitchell decided to spend the whole next year writing and recording a new album that revealed her growing interest in new sounds—particularly jazz. During 1973, her stage appearances were fewer than in previous years. She performed in April in a benefit concert at the Sir George Williams University Auditorium and then appeared live again in August twice at The Corral Club, accompanied by Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
. She spent most of the year in the recording studio, creating Court and Spark. Finally, in December, Reprise released a new single, her first in over a year, "Raised on Robbery". The public was surprised as Mitchell had released a rock'n'roll number in the old-fashioned style of the 1950s. Perhaps because of this unexpected artistic move, the single only reached #65 on the Billboard Singles Charts.
Court and Spark was released in January 1974. Critics and the public enthusiastically embraced the album, and its success was reaffirmed when the follow-up single "Help Me" was released in March. It received heavy radio airplay and became Mitchell's first and only Top 10 single in the Billboard charts, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the first week of June, and reaching #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Court and Spark went on to be a big seller that year, peaking at #2 on the Billboard album
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts and staying there for four weeks. The album became the pinnacle of Mitchell's commercial success. The album was kept from the top spot by three #1 albums—in order Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's Planet Waves
Planet Waves
Planet Waves is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 14th studio album, released by Asylum Records in January 1974....
, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
's The Way We Were and John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
's Greatest Hits
John Denver's Greatest Hits
John Denver's Greatest Hits was American singer-songwriter John Denver's first compilation album, released in late 1973 for the holiday shopping season...
.
Honors
- February 27, 1974 Court and Spark certified Gold.
- In 1974, Court and Spark was voted the 'Best Album of the Year' in The Village VoiceThe Village VoiceThe Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
Jazz & Pop critics poll. - In 2003, Court and Spark was ranked #111 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
- In 2006, Court and Spark was included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
.
Track listing
All tracks composed and arranged by Joni Mitchell; except where indicated.Side one
- "Court and Spark" – 2:46
- "Help Me" – 3:22
- "Free Man in ParisFree Man in Paris"Free Man In Paris" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It appeared on her 1974 album Court and Spark, as well as her live album Shadows and Light. It is one of her most popular songs...
" – 3:02 - "People's Parties" – 2:15
- "Same Situation" – 2:57
Side two
- "Car on a Hill" – 3:02
- "Down To You" – 5:38
- "Just Like This Train" – 4:24
- "Raised on Robbery" – 3:06
- "Trouble Child" – 4:00
- "Twisted" – 2:21 (Annie Ross/Wardell Grey; originally performed by Lambert, Hendricks & RossLambert, Hendricks & RossLambert, Hendricks & Ross were a vocalese trio formed by jazz vocalists Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross.-History:The group formed in 1957 and recorded their first album Sing a Song of Basie for Paramount Records...
)
Personnel
- Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
- Vocals, including background; acoustic guitar; piano; clavinet on "Down to You" - John GuerinJohn GuerinJohn Payne Guerin worked as a drummer, percussionist, and recording artist worldwide.Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. As a young drummer he began performing with Buddy DeFranco in 1960...
- Drums and percussion - Wilton FelderWilton FelderWilton Lewis Felder is both a saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of The Crusaders, initially called the Jazz Crusaders. Felder, Wayne Henderson, Joe Sample, and Stix Hooper founded the group while in high school in Houston...
- Bass - Max BennettMax Bennett (musician)Max Bennett is an American jazz bassist and session musician.Bennett grew up in Kansas City and Oskaloosa, Iowa, and went to college in Iowa. His first professional gig was with Herbie Fields in 1949, and following this he played with Georgie Auld, Terry Gibbs, and Charlie Ventura...
- Bass on "Trouble Child" - Jim Hughart - Bass on "People's Parties" and "Free Man in Paris"
- Milt HollandMilt HollandMilt Holland was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnic musicologist, and writer in the Los Angeles music scene who pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian percussion styles in jazz, pop and film music, traveling extensively on those continents to collect instruments and to...
- Chimes on "Court and Spark" - Tom ScottTom Scott (musician)Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
- Woodwinds and reeds - Chuck FindleyChuck FindleyChuck Findley is an American session musician. Most widely-known as a trumpet player, he also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone...
- Trumpet on "Twisted" and "Trouble Child" - Joe SampleJoe SampleJoseph Leslie "Joe" Sample is an American pianist, keyboard player and composer.He is one of the founding members of the Jazz Crusaders, the band which became simply The Crusaders in 1971, and remained a part of the group until its final album in 1991 .- Biography :Sample began playing the piano...
- Electric piano, clavinet on "Raised on Robbery". - David CrosbyDavid CrosbyDavid Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
- Background vocals on "Free Man in Paris" and "Down to You" - Graham NashGraham NashGraham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
- Background vocals on "Free Man in Paris" - Susan Webb - Background vocals on "Down to You"
- Larry CarltonLarry CarltonLarry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
- Electric guitar - Wayne PerkinsWayne PerkinsWayne Perkins is a rock and R & B guitarist, singer, songwriter and session musician. He was the oldest of six children, a brother and four sisters. Both of his parents sang and played guitar...
- Electric guitar on "Car on a Hill" - Dennis Budimir - Electric guitar on "Trouble Child"
- Robbie RobertsonRobbie RobertsonRobbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
- Electric guitar on "Raised on Robbery" - José FelicianoJosé FelicianoJosé Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
- Electric guitar on "Free Man in Paris" - Cheech MarinCheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
- Background voice on "Twisted" - Tommy ChongTommy ChongTommy Chong is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, writer, director, activist, and musician who is well known for his stereotypical portrayals of hippie-era stoners...
- Background voice on "Twisted"