The curious way Joni Mitchell discovered an Etta James “masterpiece”
Joni Mitchell is a musical legend, although in a very different way in comparison to the work of fellow icon Etta James. However, the two artists both revolutionised their genres with their unique voices and incredible songwriting talents.
When discussing some of the music that matters most to her in her life, Joni Mitchell raised a song by Etta James, which she discovered in a way that typified the changing of the music industry. When considering Etta James‘ iconic track ‘At Last’, you might think about beautiful live performances, record players, classy instrumentals and other scenes of that nature. Perhaps even in some of the classic movies that the song has been featured. However, that’s not how Joni Mitchell discovered the hit number.
After hearing the song for the first time, Mitchell said: “I first heard this song on a tampon commercial and then again in a Jaguar ad. Funny way to find a masterpiece” — which is pretty indisputable. However, this isn’t entirely unheard of, as the song has been included in all kinds of advertisements throughout the years, from ice cream to movie trailers. It’s almost kind of silly and appropriate that Mitchell found the song that way.
Mitchell has a fondness for other Etta James contemporaries, with other songs on her list by Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf. Mitchell clearly has great admiration for this era and those surrounding in terms of music and inspiration, and no matter how we discover our favourites, they can still be extremely meaningful to us.
Even after learning of the song through unique circumstances, Joni Mitchell clearly appreciated the track for all its beauty, to the point that she took it upon herself to cover it live in 2000. Listening to Joni Mitchell sing this Etta James classic is wildly unexpected but nonetheless impressive.
Mitchell has a very specific rasp and tonality in her voice, and a vibrato that is on full display in a song like this. But even with the full instrumental backing, there’s something about Joni Mitchell that always sounds a little bit folky and earthy, and she shows that off perfectly in her cover.
Her version of the song is the perfect balance between bringing her own spin to it and honouring the version that she holds dear. If you want to hear Joni Mitchell covering Etta James’ classic song, ‘At Last’, you can check it out down below.
