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".
Electricity
Joni Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He talks to the land
And the leaves fall
And the pond over-ices
She don't know the system, Plus
She don't understand
She's got all the wrong fuses and splices
She's not going to fix it up
The masking tape tangles
It's sticky and black
And the copper
Proud headed Queen Lizzie
Conducts little charges
That don't get charged back
Well the technical manual's busy
She's not going to fix it up too easy
And she holds out her flashlight
And she shines it on me
She wants me to tell her
What the trouble might be
Well I'm learning
It's peaceful
With a good dog and some trees
Out of touch with the breakdown
Of this century
They're not going to fix it up
Too easy
We once loved-together
And we floodlit that time
Input-output-electricity
But the lines overloaded
And the sparks started flying
And the loose wires
Were lashing out at me
She's not going to fix that up
Too easy
But she holds out her candle
And she shines it in
And she begs him to show her
How to fix it again
While the song that he sang her
To soothe her to sleep
Runs all through her circuits
Like a heartbeat
She's not going to fix it up
Too easy
The song "Electricity" by Joni Mitchell is a metaphorical exploration of a relationship that has been impacted by technology and lost its initial spark. The Minus and Plus in the lyrics represent the two polar opposites of the relationship, where Minus is loveless and disconnected from his surroundings while Plus is in tune with nature but lacks technical know-how. The lyrics "She don't know the system, Plus/She don't understand/She's got all the wrong fuses and splices" reflect the confusion and sense of disorientation that Plus feels in the face of this technology-driven environment. Meanwhile, Minus's relationship with the land is also complex, as he talks to it but does not feel connected to it.
The singer acknowledges that both she and her partner have failed to maintain the relationship, as it has become overwhelmed by the demands of the modern world. The lines "We once loved-together/And we floodlit that time/Input-output-electricity" suggest that the couple's intimacy and passion were once intense but have now been replaced by a superficial and technologically driven interaction. The electricity has overloaded and sparked, and both partners are now struggling to understand how to fix their broken relationship. Through metaphors of wiring, circuits, and conductive charges, Mitchell explores the technicalities of human connection and how they manifest in modern relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
The Minus is loveless
This system isn't designed with love or care, and it cannot be trusted to do right by anyone.
He talks to the land
The system is unfeeling and does not care how its actions may affect the environment or the people who live in it.
And the leaves fall
The neglect of the system leads to environmental damage and the decline of natural resources.
And the pond over-ices
The unchecked power of the system can cause unintended consequences that harm nature and the people who rely on it.
She don't know the system, Plus
People who don't understand the system are at a disadvantage and may not be able to navigate its complexities or avoid its pitfalls.
She don't understand
Those who are unfamiliar with the system may be left behind or harmed by its actions without ever knowing why.
She's got all the wrong fuses and splices
Even those who try to fix the system may not have the knowledge, tools, or resources to do so effectively or safely.
She's not going to fix it up
Too easy
Fixing the problems caused by the system will require significant effort, attention, and expertise, and is not a simple or straightforward task.
The masking tape tangles
It's sticky and black
And the copper
Proud headed Queen Lizzie
The tools, materials, and infrastructure used in the system may be outdated, poorly maintained, or inefficient, and may reflect values or ideals that are no longer relevant or appropriate.
Conducts little charges
That don't get charged back
Well the technical manual's busy
The system may produce some benefits or positive outcomes, but these may not be distributed fairly, transparently, or sustainably, and there may not be clear guidelines or instructions for how to access or use them.
She's not going to fix it up too easy
And she holds out her flashlight
And she shines it on me
She wants me to tell her
What the trouble might be
Even those who are partially aware of the system's problems or limitations may need the insight or help of others to fully understand the situation and find ways to address it.
Well I'm learning
It's peaceful
With a good dog and some trees
Out of touch with the breakdown
Of this century
Taking a step back from the system and spending time in nature or with loved ones can provide perspective, comfort, and a sense of peace, but may also mean missing out on important or urgent issues facing society.
They're not going to fix it up
Too easy
The problems of the system are complex, entrenched, and may require fundamental changes to be effectively addressed, and cannot be solved quickly or easily by anyone.
We once loved-together
And we floodlit that time
Input-output-electricity
But the lines overloaded
And the sparks started flying
And the loose wires
Were lashing out at me
Humans may have once felt a sense of connection or empowerment through the use and mastery of technology, but as the system has grown more complex and opaque, it has become harder to control or predict, and may even pose a danger to its users and the wider world.
But she holds out her candle
And she shines it in
And she begs him to show her
How to fix it again
While the song that he sang her
To soothe her to sleep
Runs all through her circuits
Like a heartbeat
She's not going to fix it up
Too easy
Despite the risks and challenges of the system, there may still be hope for those who are willing to learn, collaborate, and innovate to create a better, more humane world. However, this will require a deep commitment, an openness to learning and growth, and the courage to face and overcome the obstacles that lie ahead.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind