The classic rock musician Joni Mitchell said “never rocked and rolled”
Even artists Joni Mitchell deeply respects aren’t exempt from her sharp critiques. Whether through her songwriting, artwork, or interviews, Mitchell has always been unapologetically candid, refusing to mince words or soften her thoughts. Her forthrightness is as much a part of her legacy as her artistry.
Occasionally, Joni Mitchell has landed herself in hot water for openly airing her grievances and speaking her mind without a filter. Yet, this has never deterred her from being unapologetically honest. It’s this unflinching authenticity that has earned her such reverence, even when she sometimes oversteps and gets personal—like her infamous comment about Bob Dylan’s bad breath.
Mitchell has continuously operated using this unorthodox method, which is partly why she exists in a league of her own. Her lyrics are never sugarcoated, and her blemishes are on show for all to see. Although it’s rubbed many people up the wrong way, Mitchell will never change her ways.
As Neil Young is a close friend of Mitchell, who has known her since the 1960s, one would presume he would be off-limits for criticism. After all, Mitchell wrote ‘The Circle Game’ about Young, which led him to lovingly respond with ‘Sweet Joni’.
The pair first met in the blossoming Toronto folk scene in 1964. Years later, Mitchell played an integral role in the formation of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. After becoming close with David Crosby, her producer, she instructed him, “You’ve got to meet Neil Young. I know him from Canada. He’s in the Springfield. He’s so funny. You’re going to love this guy.”
Since then, Mitchell and Young’s friendship has continued to blossom. There is a deep level of mutual respect between them, but Young isn’t immune from criticism. During an interview, the topic changed to his track ‘Hey Hey, My My’, which led her to say: “You know, Neil Young is singing rock n’ roll will never die, and Neil never rocked and rolled in his life. I mean, he rocked, but he didn’t roll. He has no swing in him.”
Although Young leans more toward folk-rock than rock ‘n’ roll in the traditional sense, he’s also the ‘Godfather of Grunge’ with heavier instincts. That being said, Mitchell has never been rock ‘n’ roll either, and perhaps her comment comes from believing Young has more in common with her than with The Rolling Stones.
Mitchell’s comment over Young is pedantic and primarily about musical semantics rather than an attempt to lambast his skills as an artist. Additionally, the definition of rock ‘n’ roll differs from person to person. In an interview with AXS TV, Young said, “It’s a free expression. It’s bigger than the words rock ‘n’ roll, it’s a living performance art thing with music. It has a lot to do with youth and expression, and feeling that you’re convinced about something and trying to bring it to light and make it explode so people see it. Also, it’s just a personal expression where you just let yourself go, and you all go together. When that happens, improvisations start to rise, and people in the audience realise that you’re not on your own; everybody’s going together, they’re with you, and you’re with them; everything’s happening at once, right here for the first and only time like this.”
By Young’s definition, every concert he’s ever played has captured the essence of rock ‘n’ roll. For him, it’s not a musical genre but a school of thought deeply embedded in his psyche. Rock’ n’ roll is more than having a swing in your step; it’s a way of life. However, although he disagrees with Mitchell on this matter, he remains in awe of her as a person and artist.
