Night Ride Home
Encyclopedia
Night Ride Home is the fourteenth album by Joni Mitchell
, released in 1991. It was the last of four albums she recorded for Geffen Records
.
Songs on the album include "Cherokee Louise" about a childhood friend who suffered sexual abuse, "The Windfall (Everything For Nothing)" about a maid who tried to sue Mitchell, and the retrospective single release "Come in from the Cold" about childhood and middle age. The title song "Night Ride Home" (originally titled "Fourth of July" and first performed during promotion for her previous album in 1988) was inspired by a moonlit night in Hawaii. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-07-96/b01ae065.htm Though the album contained no charting singles, the track "Come in From the Cold" received airplay on AOR
stations.
This was Mitchell's first album not to be distributed by the WEA
family of labels. She had been signed to WEA's Asylum
and Reprise
labels in the past, and Warner Bros. Records
had been the distributor for Geffen Records from 1980-90. That year, Geffen was sold to MCA Music
(now Universal Music Group
), as a result, the album was distributed by Uni Distribution Corp. (the distribution arm of MCA Music), which also took over the rest of the Geffen catalogue.
, the album has sold 238,000 copies in the US to date.
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 1991. It was the last of four albums she recorded for Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
.
Songs on the album include "Cherokee Louise" about a childhood friend who suffered sexual abuse, "The Windfall (Everything For Nothing)" about a maid who tried to sue Mitchell, and the retrospective single release "Come in from the Cold" about childhood and middle age. The title song "Night Ride Home" (originally titled "Fourth of July" and first performed during promotion for her previous album in 1988) was inspired by a moonlit night in Hawaii. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-07-96/b01ae065.htm Though the album contained no charting singles, the track "Come in From the Cold" received airplay on AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
stations.
This was Mitchell's first album not to be distributed by the WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
family of labels. She had been signed to WEA's Asylum
Asylum Records
Asylum Records is an American record label founded in 1971 by David Geffen, and partner Elliot Roberts, who had previously worked as agents at the William Morris Agency. Founded specifically to provide a record contract for Jackson Browne, the label signed Tom Waits, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell...
and Reprise
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
labels in the past, and Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
had been the distributor for Geffen Records from 1980-90. That year, Geffen was sold to MCA Music
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
(now Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
), as a result, the album was distributed by Uni Distribution Corp. (the distribution arm of MCA Music), which also took over the rest of the Geffen catalogue.
, the album has sold 238,000 copies in the US to date.
Track listing
All songs, words and music by Joni Mitchell; except where indicated- "Night Ride Home" – 3:21
- "Passion Play (When All The Slaves Are Free)" – 5:25
- "Cherokee Louise" – 4:32
- "The Windfall (Everything for Nothing)" – 5:15
- "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" – 6:54 (based on a poem - The Second ComingThe Second Coming (poem)"The Second Coming" is a poem composed by Irish poet William Butler Yeats in 1919 and first printed in The Dial and afterwards included in his 1921 collection of verses titled Michael Robartes and the Dancer. The poem uses Christian imagery regarding the Apocalypse and second coming as allegory to...
- by W.B. Yeats) - "Come in from the Cold" – 7:31
- "Nothing Can Be Done" – 4:53 (words by Joni Mitchell, music by Larry KleinLarry KleinLarry Klein is a music producer, songwriter and bass guitar player, commonly known for being the frequent musical collaborator, and ex-husband, of Joni Mitchell....
) - "The Only Joy in Town" – 5:11
- "Ray's Dad's Cadillac" – 4:33
- "Two Grey RoomsTwo Grey Rooms"Two Grey Rooms" is an original ballad written and performed by Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. The song concludes her 1991 album Night Ride Home and was its final single as well as Mitchell’s final single for Geffen Records....
" – 3:57
Personnel
- Joni Mitchell: vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, Billatron on 6. oboe on 8, Omnichord on 8
- Jeremy Lubbock: conductor, arranger, string arrangement on 10
- Brenda RussellBrenda RussellBrenda Russell is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Known for her eclectic musical style, her recordings have encompassed several different genres, including pop, soul, dance, jazz and adult contemporary...
: background vocals on 9 - David BaerwaldDavid BaerwaldDavid Baerwald is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician.He has one son, Beker Baerwald, who is a nationally ranked basketball player. He is the son of Hans Baerwald, a political scientist, and Diane Moore, a psychologist...
: background vocals on 7 - Michael LandauMichael LandauMichael Landau is a prolific session musician and guitarist who has played on a large number of albums since the early 1980s with artists as varied as Seal, James Taylor, Helen Watson, Richard Marx, Steve Perry, Pink Floyd and Miles Davis...
: guitar on 10 - Bill Dillon: guitar on 2,7; pedal steel guitar on 1
- Wayne ShorterWayne ShorterWayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
: soprano saxophone on 3,9 - Larry KleinLarry KleinLarry Klein is a music producer, songwriter and bass guitar player, commonly known for being the frequent musical collaborator, and ex-husband, of Joni Mitchell....
: bass; percussion on 1,2,3,5,6; guitar on 6; keyboards on 7 - Alex AcuñaAlex AcuñaAlejandro Neciosup Acuña aka Alex Acuña is a Peruvian drummer and percussionist, in the Afro-Cuban jazz style.Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands from the age of ten, and moved to Lima as a teenager. At the age of eighteen he joined the band of Perez Prado, and in 1967 he moved...
: percussion on 1,2,5,6,7,8 - Vinnie ColaiutaVinnie ColaiutaVincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
: drums on 4,5,6,10; snare drum on 3 - Karen Peris: background vocals on 3
External links
- inspiration for "Two Grey RoomsTwo Grey Rooms"Two Grey Rooms" is an original ballad written and performed by Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. The song concludes her 1991 album Night Ride Home and was its final single as well as Mitchell’s final single for Geffen Records....
" and nine other songs.