“The greatest ever”: Tori Amos’ favourite Joni Mitchell album
There’s no apt way to describe Tori Amos other than to say she is a multi-genre-spanning musical prodigy, mastering the realms of rock, classical, and pop in her wake. It’s a testament to the woman that many artists will cite her as their guiding star in shaping voices, sounds, and eras in a way that few have managed before or since.
But in that vein, Amos’ own sonic inspirations are naturally just as wide-ranging as the music she has produced over the length of her career, with her pick of favourite albums speaking to that fact. However, one particular special seminal record by a pioneering Canadian songstress stands out above the rest as having a stronghold on her heart. Of course, it could only be Joni Mitchell’s Blue.
Released in 1971 and marking Mitchell’s fourth studio album, Blue is defined by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest musical works of all time, and Amos is among the keenest crusaders among them. In an interview with the Daily Express in 2015, Amos enthused that: “These songs are some of the greatest ever written and are still being covered today, which is a testament to their power.”
Mitchell’s “unique and pure” style, according to Amos, is the key to why the album has stood the test of time in enthralling listeners under its dizzying spell. Testifying to the monumental impact that it had on her, Amos went so far as to cover ‘A Case of You’ from Blue herself as part of her limited edition CD single of 1990s smash hit ‘Cornflake Girl’, released in the UK.
In many senses, it’s no surprise that Mitchell played a pivotal role in determining Amos’s own sonic position, as the parallels between the pair don’t take a rocket scientist to distinguish. Both captivating and celebrated lyricists, the singers’ respective winding way with words possesses a certain ethereal quality that is nigh on impossible to replicate in any other form. It speaks to the true artistic energy shared between the two female powerhouses, delineating them as among music’s finest wordsmiths.
In terms of Blue itself, if words alone were not effusive enough, its unanimous critical praise as being one of the most essential albums ever to be produced should give just a hint of the pedestal on which it is regarded. Not only that, but its longevity has been proven countless times, firstly in being considered the greatest Canadian album ever, but also because half a century on from its release in 2021, Blue surged to the top of the iTunes chart as a testament to its universal adoration.
With a slew of high-profile worshippers not limited to Amos cast under its magic, it’s clear that in so many eyes, both Blue and Joni Mitchell herself can truly do no wrong. It’s also fascinating to think just the extent of influence that it bestowed on future musical stars like Amos, who in their own ways, much like Mitchell, pushed the boundaries of what songs and lyrics really could envelop in their walls. If it’s not already abundantly evident, we’re forever grateful for it as fans.
