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".
The Jungle Line
Joni Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Safaris to the heart of all that jazz
Through I bars and girders, through wires and pipes
The mathematic circuits of the modern nights
Through huts, through Harlem, through jails and gospel pews
Through the class on Park and the trash on Vine
Through Europe and the deep, deep heart of Dixie blue
Through savage progress cuts the jungle line
In a low-cut blouse, she brings the beer
Rousseau paints a jungle flower behind her ear
Those cannibals of shuck and jive
They'll eat a working girl like her alive
With his hard-edged eyes and his steady hand
He paints the cellar full of ferns and orchid vines
And he hangs a moon above a five-piece band
He hangs it up above the jungle line
The jungle line, the jungle line
Screaming in a ritual of sound and time
Floating, drifting on the air-conditioned wind
And drooling for a taste of something smuggled in
Pretty women funneled through valves and smoke
Coy and bitchy, wild and fine
And charging elephants and chanting slaving boats
Charging, chanting down the jungle line
There's a poppy wreath on a soldier's tomb
There's a poppy snake in the dressing room
Poppy poison-poppy tourniquet
It slithers away on brass like mouthpiece spit
And metal skin and ivory birds
Go steaming up to Rousseau's vines
They go steaming up to Brooklyn Bridge
Steaming, steaming, steaming up the jungle line
Joni Mitchell's song The Jungle Line reflects on the idea of progress and modernity at the expense of nature and primal instincts. The first verse references philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who believed that human society's progression led to detachment from nature and our true, primal selves. The lyrics describe his journey through different environments, including the urban landscape of New York City, jails, gospel churches, and the South's heart. Throughout his journey, the jungle line symbolizes the dividing line between the civilized world and the wild, natural world.
The second verse shifts to the perspective of a woman serving beer, who is viewed by others as prey to cannibals. Yet, the woman is not helpless, and she carries herself with grace and strength. Rousseau depicts a jungle flower behind her ear, further emphasizing the theme of nature colliding with modern city life. Finally, the song ends with a mention of poppies, a poisonous flower symbolizing death, woven into the lyrics to reflect on the darker side of progress, a reflection of its destruction of nature and humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
Rousseau walks on trumpet paths
Exploring the creative and musical frontiers of his time
Safaris to the heart of all that jazz
Going on musical adventures and discovering the essence of jazz
Through I bars and girders, through wires and pipes
Navigating through the mechanical and industrial landscape of urban life
The mathematic circuits of the modern nights
The intricate and complex systems that govern modern society
Through huts, through Harlem, through jails and gospel pews
Traversing different neighborhoods and communities that shape American culture
Through the class on Park and the trash on Vine
Experiencing different social classes and their disparities
Through Europe and the deep, deep heart of Dixie blue
Traveling through different regions and musical influences
Through savage progress cuts the jungle line
The relentless march of technological and societal advancement
In a low-cut blouse, she brings the beer
A woman serving drinks, possibly seen as an object of desire
Rousseau paints a jungle flower behind her ear
An artist creating something beautiful amid the chaos of modern life
Those cannibals of shuck and jive
The exploiters of working people, who can trap them in a cycle of poverty
They'll eat a working girl like her alive
The harsh reality of how the working class is exploited and consumed by society
With his hard-edged eyes and his steady hand
The focus and determination of an artist creating in a challenging environment
He paints the cellar full of ferns and orchid vines
Bringing beauty and life to an otherwise dark and gloomy environment
And he hangs a moon above a five-piece band
Creating an atmosphere of creativity and inspiration
The jungle line, the jungle line
The metaphorical boundary between civilization and the wilderness
Screaming in a ritual of sound and time
The power of music to evoke strong emotions and connect people across cultures and time
Floating, drifting on the air-conditioned wind
The fleeting nature of modern life, as people move from place to place with ease
And drooling for a taste of something smuggled in
The desire for pleasure and escape, even if it comes at a price
Pretty women funneled through valves and smoke
The objectification of women and their role as commodities in a capitalist society
Coy and bitchy, wild and fine
The different ways women are stereotyped and objectified
And charging elephants and chanting slaving boats
References to imperialism, colonialism and the impact on the environment
Charging, chanting down the jungle line
The ongoing march of progress and exploitation of resources, people and land
There's a poppy wreath on a soldier's tomb
A reference to the casualties of war, and the impact on society
There's a poppy snake in the dressing room
The dangers of substance use and abuse in the entertainment industry
Poppy poison-poppy tourniquet
The power and danger of addiction
It slithers away on brass like mouthpiece spit
The seductive allure of addictive substances, and the way they prey on vulnerabilities
And metal skin and ivory birds
The contrast between natural and artificial elements in modern society
Go steaming up to Rousseau's vines
The power of art to transform and inspire
They go steaming up to Brooklyn Bridge
The impact of industrialization and urbanization on the environment and society
Steaming, steaming, steaming up the jungle line
The relentless march of progress, and the impact it has on the world around us
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@1musichombre
Rousseau walks on trumpet paths
Safaris to the heart of all that jazz
Through I bars and girders-through wires and pipes
The mathematic circuits of the modern nights
Through huts, through Harlem, through jails and gospel pews
Through the class on Park and the trash on Vine
Through Europe and the deep deep heart of Dixie blue
Through savage progress cuts the jungle line
In a low-cut blouse she brings the beer
Rousseau paints a jungle flower behind her ear
Those cannibals-of shuck and jive
They'll eat a working girl like her alive
With his hard-edged eye and his steady hand
He paints the cellar full of ferns and orchid vines
And he hangs a moon above a five-piece band
He hangs it up above the jungle line
The jungle line, the jungle line
Screaming in a ritual of sound and time
Floating, drifting on the air-conditioned wind
And drooling for a taste of something smuggled in
Pretty women funneled through valves and smoke
Coy and bitchy, wild and fine
And charging elephants and chanting slaving boats
Charging, chanting down the jungle line
There's a poppy wreath on a soldier's tomb
There's a poppy snake in a dressing room
Poppy poison-poppy tourniquet
It slithers away on brass like mouthpiece spit
And metal skin and ivory birds
Go steaming up to Rousseau's vines
They go steaming up to Brooklyn Bridge
Steaming, steaming, steaming up the jungle line
Songwriters: JONI MITCHELL
@GenevieveLiewPeiYi
Joni Mitchell - The Jungle Line Lyrics
Rousseau walks on trumpet paths
Safaris to the heart of all that jazz
Through I bars and girders-through wires and pipes
The mathematic circuits of the modern nights
Through huts, through Harlem, through jails and gospel pews
Through the class on Park and the trash on Vine
Through Europe and the deep deep heart of Dixie blue
Through savage progress cuts the jungle line
In a low-cut blouse she brings the beer
Rousseau paints a jungle flower behind her ear
Those cannibals-of shuck and jive
They'll eat a working girl like her alive
With his hard-edged eye and his steady hand
He paints the cellar full of ferns and orchid vines
And he hangs a moon above a five-piece band
He hangs it up above the jungle line
The jungle line, the jungle line
Screaming in a ritual of sound and time
Floating, drifting on the air-conditioned wind
And drooling for a taste of something smuggled in
Pretty women funneled through valves and smoke
Coy and bitchy, wild and fine
And charging elephants and chanting slaving boats
Charging, chanting down the jungle line
There's a poppy wreath on a soldier's tomb
There's a poppy snake in a dressing room
Poppy poison-poppy tourniquet
It slithers away on brass like mouthpiece spit
And metal skin and ivory birds
Go steaming up to Rousseau's vines
They go steaming up to Brooklyn Bridge
Steaming, steaming, steaming up the jungle line
@imaginationunreal
1974 - I was 12 and my hippie aunt gave me Court and Spark as a Christmas present and I was hooked on Joni Mitchell from that moment on. A couple of years later, I bought The Hissing of Summer Lawns and it was like a light went on in my head. I had never heard anything like it and listened to it constantly. It amazes me that at the time, it was widely panned by critics and fans alike. It still ranks as my favorite of hers. The images, emotions, and textures it evokes are stunning.
@paigegarrison6721
Just like Rousseau himself. Both are/ were ahead of their time!
@carolynzaremba5469
I remember I was one of the only people in my crowd who loved this album the minute it came out. I stil love it. Amazing, just amazing.
@moehammondmedia
It’s the greatest album ever recorded by a woman.
@musicloverchicago437
It actually makes me a little teary-eyed to think about young kids listening to such sophisticated music. :)
@terrypussypower
Joni Mitchell’s albums weren’t panned by those who knew….those with good taste!
Music critics are mostly
a$$holes…people who can’t do music, they only talk.
When the likes of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath’s first albums hit the streets, they were roasted in America by the so-called “critics” at smug, elitist rags like Rolling Stone…only once they were popular, and what they were doing was undeniable, did their “critics” “see the light”….and Joni Mitchell had the pointed end of that bullsh*t once she began branching out from the “folky singer/songwriter” stereotype she was viewed as by those people.
But music lovers who had actual good taste, knew what her new stuff was about the instant they heard it. That’s the case with all good music. People who have good taste can hear it straight away! Even if it’s complex and takes a bit of getting used to, you can always tell instantly if there’s something there worth pursuing….
It’s like when you hear that certain tune for the first time on the radio, on YouTube or wherever, and it jumps out at you and grabs you instantly….it’ll take a few listens to get to really know it, but that grab is there from the start!
I can do it when I’m going through dozens of acid/House/techno 12”s… I can drop the needle on the tracks and can instantly tell if there’s something there worth listening to, something worth playing at our gigs…. five seconds at most is all it takes. Quality jumps out at you!
But most “music critics” don’t have that ability. You need to have good taste to do it.
@julianlewis1792
I love the fertility of her imagination, both musically and lyrically! What a poet!
@1492tomato
This is transcendent. Kids in 2300 will study this as great poetry. Lucky me. I bought the album when it came out.
@KOSMICKEN09
one of the greatest tracks ever-the percussion is amazing. what a strange but awesome song.
@amandamcnamara1617
About a strange but awesome drug.