How the legacy of Amelia Earhart inspired a Joni Mitchell classic
For Joni Mitchell, the essence of womanhood in all its multifaceted aspects holds a special place in her heart. When she penned her song ‘Amelia’, the ethereal presence of Amelia Earhart enveloped Mitchell so intensely that together, they pondered the challenges of life and the unwavering determination required to pursue their true calling. In the track, the vanished aviator not only guides Mitchell’s emotions but helps her along the way. In the myth of Earhart, Mitchell finds a reflection of herself.
In contrast to Mitchell’s previous songs, ‘Amelia’ doesn’t yearn for someone’s affection, anticipate a fresh start, or delve deeply into past love affairs. Instead, Mitchell adopts a tone of resignation, viewing the quest for love as a futile endeavour. She opts for the open road as a means to conceal her emotions.
As Mitchell said herself in 1996: “I wrote the album while travelling cross-country by myself, and there is this restless feeling throughout it… the sweet loneliness of solitary travel. In this song, I was thinking of Amelia Earhart and addressing it from one solo pilot to another, sort of reflecting on the cost of being a woman and having something you must do.”
Initially found on Mitchell’s 1976 album Hejira, the track possesses a unique harmonic quality and constantly shifts between two keys. This ambiguous landscape mirrors Mitchell’s own introspection in the song, where she embarks on a quest for answers but never quite attains them. Her muse, Earhart, became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean but mysteriously vanished years later while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937.
In the track, Mitchell adeptly navigates the challenging task of intertwining her reflections on Earhart’s legacy with her own personal experiences. This duality is evident in the following lines: “A ghost of aviation /She was swallowed by the sky /Or by /the sea like me she had a dream to fly”.
In truth, ‘Amelia’ transcends the realm of love, evolving into contemplation on life itself as Mitchell recurrently concludes her verses with the same sentiment about the falsity of Amelia’s legacy. She illustrates a life akin to “flying engines”, which disrupts time and seasons, transforming existence into a “travelogue of picture postcard charms”. Her life is nomadic, permitting her to explore the world while failing to establish deep connections.
In demonstrating the dichotomy of life, Mitchell utilises her unique gift of musical excellence and depicts both dreams of limitless flight. Both Earhart and Mitchell end up “like Icarus ascending /on beautiful foolish arms”, ending on a note of melancholy but with the stark beauty of a life lived fully.
Earhart, a legendary figure shrouded in myth, is celebrated for her understated charisma, unwavering independence, relentless determination, composure in challenging situations, and courageous spirit. At the same time, her mysterious disappearance at a relatively young age has solidified her enduring iconic status in popular culture. ‘Amelia’, through its poetic lyrics and Mitchell’s emotive singing, encapsulates this essence, all the while maintaining its quintessential presence within Mitchell’s personal vulnerability.
