Joni Mitchell Song To A Seagull

Also known as Song to a Seagull, Joni Mitchell’s 1968 debut album features songs more musically sophisticated and less commercially direct than those of hers covered by other artists at the time, such as “Both Sides Now” and “Chelsea Morning” by Judy Collins and “Tin Angel,” “Urge for Going,” and “The Circle Game” by Tom Rush. Mitchell wrote a loose concept, with the two halves being “I Came to the City” and “Out of the City and Down to the Seaside.” Essentially, the first five songs describe characters in urban environments, while the second batch represent bucolic love and freedom. David Crosby’s sympathetic production centers on Mitchell’s abilities.