Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and throughout western Canada, before moving on to the nightclubs of Toronto, Ontario. She moved to the United States and began touring in 1965. Some of her original songs ("Urge for Going", "Chelsea Morning", "Both Sides, Now", "The Circle Game") were recorded by other folk singers, allowing her to sign with Reprise Records and record her debut album, Song to a Seagull, in 1968. Settling in Southern California, Mitchell helped define an era and a generation with popular songs like "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Woodstock". Her 1971 album Blue is often cited as one of the best albums of all time; it was rated the 30th best album ever made in Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", rising to number 3 in the 2020 edition. In 2000, The New York Times chose Blue as one of the 25 albums that represented "turning points and pinnacles in 20th-century popular music". NPR ranked Blue number 1 on a 2017 list of Greatest Albums Made by Women.
Mitchell switched labels and began exploring more jazz-influenced melodic ideas, by way of lush pop textures, on 1974's Court and Spark, which featured the radio hits "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris" and became her best-selling album. Mitchell's vocal range began to shift from mezzo-soprano to more of a wide-ranging contralto around 1975. Her distinctive piano and open-tuned guitar compositions also grew more harmonically and rhythmically complex as she melded jazz with rock and roll, R&B, classical music and non-Western beats. In the late 1970s, she began working with noted jazz musicians including Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Pat Metheny as well as Charles Mingus, who asked her to collaborate on his final recordings. She later turned to pop and electronic music and engaged in political protest. She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in 2002 and became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2021.
Mitchell produced or co-produced most of her albums. A critic of the music industry, she quit touring and released her 17th and last album of original songs in 2007. Mitchell has designed most of her own album covers, describing herself as a "painter derailed by circumstance".
Dreamland
Joni Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A long way from snow chains
Donkey vendors slicing coconut
No parkas to their names
Black babies covered in baking flour
The cook's got a carnival song
We're going to lay down some place shady
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Walter Raleigh and Chris Columbus
Come marching out of the waves
And claim the beach and all concessions
In the name of the suntan slave
I wrapped that flag around me
Like a Dorothy Lamour sarong
And I lay down thinking national
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Good time Mary and a fortune hunter
All dressed up to follow the drums
Mary in a feather hula-hoop
Miss Fortune with a rose on her big game gun
All saints, all sinners shining
Heed those trumpets all night long
Propped up on a samba beat
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Tar baby and the Great White Wonder
Talking over a glass of rum
Burning on the inside
With the knowledge of things to come
There's gambling out on the terrace
And midnight ramblin' on the lawn
As they lead toward temptation
With dreamland coming on
Dream, dream, dreamland, dream, dreamland
In a plane flying back to winter
In shoes full of tropic sand
A lady in a foreign flag
On the arm of her Marlboro Man
The hawk howls in New York City
Six foot drifts on Myrtle's lawn
As they push the recline buttons down
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na
La, la, la, la
La, la, li, da, da, da, da, di
Ba, da, do, da, do, da
African sand on the trade winds
And the sun on the Amazon
As they push the recline buttons down
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream on
The lyrics of Joni Mitchell's Dreamland evoke a sense of escape from reality and the longing for a utopian world. The first stanza describes a place that is far from Canada, where snow chains are no longer needed and vendors sell coconuts. The image of black babies covered in flour is also painted. The cook is singing a carnival song, and the singer is looking forward to finding a shady spot to rest in as Dreamland approaches. The second stanza references the arrival of Europeans in America as they claim the land for themselves, with the singer wrapping the flag around herself as if it were a sarong. Despite being far from home, she is reminded of her national identity. She lies down and waits for Dreamland.
The third stanza introduces Mary and a fortune hunter, who are preparing to follow the drums in their hula-hoop and with Miss Fortune carrying a big game gun. While all saints and sinners are shining, the trumpets play all night long. The fourth stanza describes Tar baby and the Great White Wonder talking over a glass of rum; they know that things will change. In the terrace, gambling takes place as midnight rambling occurs on the lawn. The fifth stanza finds the singer flying back to winter, her shoes still filled with sand from the tropics. A lady is accompanying the Marlboro Man, and the hawk is howling back in New York City. They both recline as Dreamland comes nearer.
Dreamland is a place of impossible fantasies, where escape from reality is possible. Joni Mitchell's use of vivid imagery transports the listener into an experiential journey through different cultural landscapes, religions, traditions, and migrations, all caught in a musical narrative of delight and trance. The musical arrangement features a Brazilian samba beat, and Mitchell uses her voice to create a playful, free-flowing melody that captures the essence of the dream-like state. The song evokes feelings of wanderlust, freedom, and escapism against the backdrop of societal oppression and political injustice. Dreamland is a timeless classic that captures the universal human desire for utopia and the unattainable pursuit of happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long, long way from Canada
The distance from Canada is significant
A long way from snow chains
The climate is different
Donkey vendors slicing coconut
Vendors are preparing food with manual labor
No parkas to their names
No one is wearing winter clothing
Black babies covered in baking flour
Babies are being taken care of in difficult living conditions
The cook's got a carnival song
The atmosphere is festive
We're going to lay down some place shady
People are looking for a comfortable spot to relax
With dreamland coming on
They are preparing for an imaginative experience
Walter Raleigh and Chris Columbus
The explorers are seeking a new place
Come marching out of the waves
The arrival is impressive
And claim the beach and all concessions
They are asserting their ownership
In the name of the suntan slave
They are using the sun to make a profit
I wrapped that flag around me
The flag is symbolizing culture
Like a Dorothy Lamour sarong
The flag is worn as a garment
And I lay down thinking national
The character is feeling patriotic
Good time Mary and a fortune hunter
People are looking for fun and money
All dressed up to follow the drums
They are dressing up for entertainment
Mary in a feather hula-hoop
Mary is attracted to exotic activities
Miss Fortune with a rose on her big game gun
Someone is carrying a weapon and may tempt fate
All saints, all sinners shining
Everyone is illuminated in the moment
Heed those trumpets all night long
The music is exciting
Propped up on a samba beat
The rhythm is seductive
Tar baby and the Great White Wonder
The characters are aware of racial issues
Talking over a glass of rum
Casual drinking and conversation is taking place
Burning on the inside
The heat of the moment is intense
With the knowledge of things to come
The characters are aware of future events
There's gambling out on the terrace
Gambling is taking place in open areas
And midnight ramblin' on the lawn
People are wandering around at night
As they lead toward temptation
There is a sense of indulgence
In a plane flying back to winter
People are returning to a familiar place
In shoes full of tropic sand
They have brought back memories of tropical activities
A lady in a foreign flag
Someone is carrying the culture of another country
On the arm of her Marlboro Man
She is with a strong, rugged man
The hawk howls in New York City
The sound of the hawk is significant
Six foot drifts on Myrtle's lawn
There is a lot of snow
As they push the recline buttons down
They are preparing to relax
Dream on
Imagination has no limits
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Catherine S. Todd
Dreamland
Joni Mitchell
It's a long, long way from Canada
A long way from snow chains
Donkey vendors slicing coconut
No parkas to their names
Black babies covered in baking flour
The cook's got a carnival song
We're going to lay down some place shady
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Walter Raleigh and Chris Columbus
Come marching out of the waves
And claim the beach and all concessions
In the name of the suntan slave
I wrapped that flag around me
Like a Dorothy Lamour sarong
And I lay down thinking national
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Good time Mary and a fortune hunter
All dressed up to follow the drums
Mary in a feather hula-hoop
Miss Fortune with a rose on her big game gun
All saints, all sinners shining
Heed those trumpets all night long
Propped up on a samba beat
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Tar baby and the Great White Wonder
Talking over a glass of rum
Burning on the inside
With the knowledge of things to come
There's gambling out on the terrace
And midnight ramblin' on the lawn
As they lead toward temptation
With dreamland coming on
Dream, dream, dreamland, dream, dreamland
In a plane flying back to winter
In shoes full of tropic sand
A lady in a foreign flag
On the arm of her Marlboro Man
The hawk howls in New York City
Six foot drifts on Myrtle's lawn
As they push the recline buttons down
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na
La, la, la, la
La, la, li, da, da, da, da, di
Ba, da, do, da, do, da
African sand on the trade winds
And the sun on the Amazon
As they push the recline buttons down
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream on
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Joni Mitchell
Meg Mc
It's a long, long way from Canada
A long way from snow chains
Donkey vendors slicing coconut
No parkas to their name
Black babies covered in baking flour
The cook's got a carnival song
We're going to lay down someplace shady
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Walter Raleigh and Chris Columbus
Come marching out of the waves
And claim the beach and all concessions
In the name of the suntan slave
I wrapped that flag around me
Like a Dorothy Lamour sarong
And I lay down thinking national
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Goodtime Mary and a fortune hunter
All dressed up to follow the drums
Mary in a feather hula-hoop
Miss Fortune with a rose on her big game gun
All saints, all sinners shining
Heed those trumpets all night long
Propped up on a samba beat
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Tar baby and the Great White Wonder
Talking over a glass of rum
Burning on the inside
With the knowledge of things to come
There's gambling out on the terrace
And midnight ramblin' on the lawn
As they lead toward temptation
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
In a plane flying back to winter
In shoes full of tropic sand
A lady in a foreign flag
On the arm of her Marlboro Man
The hawk howls in New York City
Six-foot drifts on Myrtle's lawn
As they push the recline buttons down
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
La, La ...
African sand on the trade winds
And the sun on the Amazon
As they push the reline buttons down
With dreamland coming on
Dreamland, dreamland
Dreamland, dreamland
Songwriter: JONI MITCHELL
Cotictimmy
It gets inside your head - especially as the harmonies build up. I bought this album back in the 1980's and initially didn't like this track - I Love it Now.
AppleCorp3
I'd always heard that this was a "weird" album...or too experimental but I soon found that what "they" found as weird or experimental was not quite as extreme as they said. Maybe because at that point I'd accepted tracks like "Tomorrow Never Knows" as commonplace, I found this album not nearly as left field as reviews said. It's brilliant! It's probably my favorite of her albums. Glad to see from YouTube that i'm not in the minority.
Vincente
I whole heartily agree AppleCorp3! I too grew up with "Tomorrow Never Knows" and other songs and artist that pushed the envelope of the sixties and seventies. That is what an artist does. Too bad that this album ended up in the cut-out bin. It was an insult to Joni and her genius.
erflingnot
Another masterpiece! I had it on vinyl from the day it dropped!!!
Froggie Morton
This album unfortunately had a poor initial reception largely because it followed three incredible albums -- Court and Spark, The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira -- three albums that many (including myself) considered Mitchell's best work ever. (The folkie purists maintain Blue was her best.) By comparison with its predecessors, Don Juan seemed to lack something and, yes, was dismissed as "experimental". It took many years for its unorthodox brilliance to become appreciated. Having said that, it is perhaps a bit, um, spotty...
threeby8887
I just bought a copy of this CD. Hey, I like weird albums, what can I say?
AppleCorp3
It didn't fit in the box, so it got a label. This one went straight into my iPod...and it sits well along with the rest of the stuff I listen to.
Gany Meade
One of the best and most exotic of Joni Mitchell's songs. Reminds me of of island travels. Love it.
HEYTOOTS
It was this song that began my passion for PERCUSSION instruments! My neighbors must've thought I was nuts, playing this over and over. Chaka Khan in the background!
Steven Haywood
A great song with great percussion too.
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