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".
Lesson in Survival
Joni Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spinning out on turns
That gets you tough
Guru books-the Bible
Only a reminder
That you're just not good enough
You need to believe in something
Once I could in our love
Double yellow line
Friends and kin
Campers in the kitchen
That's fine sometimes
But I know my needs
My sweet tumbleweed
I need more quiet times
By a river flowing
You and me
Deep kisses
And the sun going down
Maybe it's paranoia
Maybe it's sensitivity
Your friends protect you
Scrutinize me
I get so damn timid
Not at all the spirit
That's inside of me
Oh baby I can't seem to make it
With you socially
There's this reef around me
I'm looking way out at the ocean
Love to see that green water in motion
I'm gonna get a boat
And we can row it
If you ever get the notion
To be needed by me
Fresh salmon frying
And the tide rolling in
I went to see a friend tonight
Was very late when I walked in
My talking as it rambled
Revealed suspicious reasoning
The visit seemed to darken him
I came in as bright
As a neon light
And I burned out
Right there before him
I told him these things
I'm telling you now
Watched them buckle up
In his brow
When you dig down deep
You lose good sleep
And it makes you
Heavy company
I will always love you
Hands alike
Magnet and iron
The souls
The song "Lesson in Survival" by Joni Mitchell talks about the struggles of a relationship and the search for inner peace. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the lines "Spinning out on turns/ That gets you tough" possibly referring to the ups and downs of a relationship that can either make or break one's spirit. The mention of "Guru books-the Bible/ Only a reminder/ That you're just not good enough" could also highlight the feelings of inadequacy and the search for something to believe in. Mitchell then contrasts the need for personal space and quiet moments, such as being "By a river flowing/ You and me/ Deep kisses/ And the sun going down".
The second stanza seems to indicate that there may be some conflicts in the relationship caused by the singer's sensitivity or paranoia. The lines "Your friends protect you/ Scrutinize me/ I get so damn timid" suggest that outside judgement is affecting the relationship. However, the singer still longs for a deep connection with the partner, as seen in the lines "I'm looking way out at the ocean/ Love to see that green water in motion/ I'm gonna get a boat/ And we can row it/ If you ever get the notion/ To be needed by me/ Fresh salmon frying/ And the tide rolling in". The final stanza shows the singer opening up to a friend about their worries, but realizing that it's not always wise to dig too deep and expose vulnerabilities.
Overall, the song highlights the complexity of relationships and the importance of finding balance between personal needs and connections with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Spinning out on turns
Feeling lost and directionless, unsure of where to go next
That gets you tough
This difficult experience will make you stronger and better able to cope
Guru books-the Bible
Seeking guidance and wisdom from religious texts, but still feeling lost
Only a reminder
Despite seeking guidance, these texts only serve to remind you of your own inadequacy
That you're just not good enough
Feeling like you will never be able to measure up or be successful
You need to believe in something
A need for purpose and meaning in life
Once I could in our love
Previously finding that purpose and meaning in a romantic relationship
Black road
A dark and uncertain path ahead
Double yellow line
A metaphorical line indicating a split or a difficult decision to make
Friends and kin
Supportive loved ones who provide comfort and companionship
Campers in the kitchen
Enjoying the company of others, but also recognizing the need for solitary time
That's fine sometimes
Acknowledging the value of social interaction, but not wanting it to be the focus
But I know my needs
Understand what is necessary for personal happiness and fulfillment
My sweet tumbleweed
A free spirit that cannot be tied down or constrained by others' expectations
I need more quiet times
Craving solitude and peaceful moments in order to recharge
By a river flowing
Finding solace in nature and the tranquility it provides
You and me
A desire for intimacy and closeness with a loved one
Deep kisses
Passionate and meaningful displays of affection
And the sun going down
The beauty and wonder of life's simple pleasures
Maybe it's paranoia
Wondering if one's own thoughts and feelings are irrational or unfounded
Maybe it's sensitivity
Feeling emotions more deeply and intensely than others might
Your friends protect you
Loved ones trying to shield you from harm and negativity
Scrutinize me
Feeling judged and examined by these same loved ones
I get so damn timid
Feeling shy or lacking in confidence around others
Not at all the spirit
Not feeling true to oneself or in line with one's own nature
That's inside of me
The authentic self, which is struggling to assert itself
Oh baby I can't seem to make it
Feeling like life is overwhelming and impossible to navigate
With you socially
Struggling to connect with loved ones or fit in with others in social situations
There's this reef around me
A feeling of being trapped or stuck, unable to move forward
I'm looking way out at the ocean
Longing for something vast and unexplored
Love to see that green water in motion
Finding beauty and wonder in the simple things in life
I'm gonna get a boat
Taking control of one's life and seeking new experiences
And we can row it
Inviting a loved one to join on this journey of self-discovery
If you ever get the notion
Encouraging others to join in on the adventure, if they feel so inclined
To be needed by me
Expressing a desire for companionship and emotional support
Fresh salmon frying
Savoring life's simple pleasures and enjoying every moment
And the tide rolling in
Appreciating the natural beauty of the world around us
I went to see a friend tonight
Reaching out for support and companionship
Was very late when I walked in
Feeling like it's too late to make a genuine connection
My talking as it rambled
Feeling scattered and unfocused in conversation
Revealed suspicious reasoning
Exposing one's own insecurities and fears in conversation
The visit seemed to darken him
Feeling like one's own struggles are weighing down those around them
I came in as bright
Feeling positive and hopeful, seeking connection and support
As a neon light
Radiating energy and positivity in an effort to connect with others
And I burned out
Feeling depleted and drained by the effort to make connections
Right there before him
Experiencing this sense of burnout in front of others
I told him these things
Opening up to others and sharing one's own struggles
I'm telling you now
Continuing to reach out for support and connection
Watched them buckle up
Seeing others react defensively to one's own struggles and insecurities
In his brow
Noticing subtle signs of stress or anxiety in others
When you dig down deep
Getting in touch with one's true feelings and emotions
You lose good sleep
Experiencing anxiety or restlessness as a result of this introspection
And it makes you
Recognizing the emotional toll this self-discovery can take
Heavy company
Feeling weighed down by one's own emotions and struggles
I will always love you
Desiring emotional connection and support from loved ones
Hands alike
Feeling a deep connection or kinship with others
Magnet and iron
A strong and unbreakable bond between individuals
The souls
Deep emotional connection and understanding between individuals
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind