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Five musicians hate Joni Mitchell
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Five musicians hate Joni Mitchell

Surrealist comedian Bob Mortimer once said: “Sometimes you wouldn’t like to go sit under a bridge in the country and listen to Neil Young or Joni Mitchell for a few hours.” Everyone would, and it’s quotes like these that prove how Mitchell isn’t just an artist you like, she’s an artist you need.

Her music is the kind of wondrous goodness that conjures up alluring pastoral scenes of meadows, bottles of wine in wicker baskets and general Middle-Classtonbury treasures. She brings wealth and warmth to the masses with sweet and gentle people. However, beneath all this wonder of the woman herself there is a sharp side.

No, Joni Mitchell does not suffer fools gladly. She has had to endure a lot while trying to break into the popular scene as a woman back in the day, and that has given her a galvanized backbone that has crushed many egos over the years. She is, in short, the punkest folk artist out there when it comes to her “my way or the highway” attitude.

To commemorate this bruising quality of her otherwise sunny nature, we’ve compiled a list of just a few of the colleagues she’s feuded with or condemned over the years. From her shady relationship with Bob Dylan to a rift-inducing date with John Lennon, these are the stars Mitchell sees as clouds that only block the sun.

Five artists Joni Mitchell hates:

Bob Dylan

After initially arriving as an inspiration, Dylan became a contemporary and cohort with Mitchell. She greatly admired his fresh take on folk, openly stating that “Positively Fourth Street” completely changed her view of music – the confessional singer knew at that moment that you could write about anything. And she has since.

However, at some point, shortly after we started the Rolling Thunder Revue tour together, things went strangely sour. “We’re like night and day, (Dylan) and I,” she said. “Bob is not genuine at all. He is a plagiarist and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a sham.” While some were quick to point out the irony of Joni Mitchell changing her name as well, many wondered why her opinion has changed so much over the years.

In 2013, her opinion didn’t seem to have softened at all. She said: “Musically, Dylan is not very talented; he borrowed his voice from the old hills. He has a lot of things on loan. He’s not a great guitar player. He invented a persona to present his songs… it’s a kind of mask.” And perhaps worst of all, she said she didn’t like sharing a microphone with him because he had bad breath.

Bob Dylan and his love for a surprising Britpop band Stereophonics
(Credit: Alamy)

Judy Collins

Mitchell reportedly allowed Collins to cover “Both Sides Now,” but it didn’t come out perfectly from her point of view afterward. “I remember hearing something about Joni not liking my version of the song, but I couldn’t care less,” Collins said with humor. Vulture. “I’m sure she feels that way for a lot of people who sing her songs. I’m sorry he didn’t get the shot, but I’m sure glad I did!”

While Mitchell was rightly credited with writing one of the most poetically beautiful songs ever written with “Both Sides Now”, Collins’ initial effort peaked at number three in the US charts and eclipsed Mitchell’s own release. This point of contention worsened when some people believed that Collins had written the masterpiece all along, and a few carefree DJs failed to clarify this fact, much to Mitchell’s chagrin.

While Collins’ track helped bring Mitchell’s young name closer to the mainstream, it would seem that the disparate commercial success of their respective releases caused something of a rift. “I think she’s a bit jealous, but with her history of being that way brilliant composershe has no right to feel this way. She should just say, “Thank you, thank you, God. Thank you for my talent to write all these other songs. I appreciate so much everyone who records my songs because look how rich they have made me! And in fact, Judy didn’t make a cent from this song,’ which is true,” Collins added.

Judy Collins on her bitter relationship with Joni Mitchell
(Credit: Alamy)

John Lennon

When two prickly characters meet, one will feel a spike. “When I met John Lennon, it was during his lost year in LA, you know,” Mitchell recalled of their run-in. “This is a class difficulty that he had. He’s a working class boy,” Mitchell explained. “I’m sure he had the same struggle with George Martin because he was afraid he was betraying his class. I know I’m going to get into hot water if I go into this, but I have controversial opinions about him.”

“I watched this (English film), which was a compilation of the best musicians of the 20th century,” Mitchell continued. “As soon as he hit my era, his intelligence dropped considerably. When it came to me, this guy folded his arms and crossed his legs and said, “I never liked Joni Mitchell – she’s too twee.” Well, so was John Lennon. It was that fear that working-class people have of middle-class people.”

This made it clear that there was no love lost between the pair, whose dating was notoriously rocky. However, Mitchell made even more enemies when he reflected that this was the result of a labor complex.

The John Lennon solo single he named
(Credit: Alamy)

Madonna

“Hate is a very strong word” is a phrase I remember telling myself often in my childhood. But when it comes to Madonna, Mitchell chose an even stronger denigration; she is not “crazy about it” to say the least. “Music has become burlesque in recent years – the video has done that. Each generation must be more shocking than the last,” she said.

“But at some point you have to pull it back because decadence is ultimately not so modern. Our country is descending from it. It’s rotten to the core. And I think women can be more than decorative,” she explained as she delivered her stinging insult.

“However, someone like Madonna can be seen as a feminist hero because she exploits her own sexuality instead of being exploited by a man. It’s an interesting idea, but what’s the difference between her and a hot hooker, you know? Who is exploited there? She also enjoys herself,” she said. Before adding: “She’s got that Madonna-whore thing built in (laughs). It’s like a living Barbie doll, but a little on the blue side. There has always been this kind of woman. There’s always been a market for that, but the danger is that she thinks she’s a role model. And it’s a terrible model. It is the death of all things real.”

(Credit: Alamy)

Taylor Swift

The love between the “Both Sides Now” singer and Swift is decidedly one-sided. Mitchell’s influence continues to permeate music, and today’s biggest pop star often cites Mitchell as her hero.

However, when it comes to Swift, Mitchell believes that inspiration is more like imitation. “I saw her. Physically, she looks just as petite with high hips and cheekbones,” she said of the star. Later, revealing that he didn’t care to listen to her much. “I don’t know what her music sounds like, but I do know this — that if she’s going to sing and sing with me, good luck,” she said with wry sarcasm.

However, it should be noted that while this was a jab, there was a hint of truth to it, and Swift’s development has since softened Mitchell to someone. With Taylor covering his tracks, there’s clearly respect both ways here, even if one side of the road has a little more traffic than the other, so to speak.

When Taylor Swift played for Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney
(Credit: Alamy)

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