On Oct. 6, the next installment in the ongoing Joni Mitchell Archives series will arrive, with Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975). Announced officially on Thursday, the collection will be made available as a 5-CD/digital set and a slightly trimmed-down 4-LP edition, with an accompanying book featuring photos and a conversation about this period between Mitchell and her longtime friend Cameron Crowe. More on the context surrounding this chapter of Mitchell’s storied career, per a news release: Come 1972, Joni Mitchell’s singular songwriting talent and poetic gifts were undeniable. Fresh off the back-to-back Platinum-certified releases of 1970’s Ladies of the Canyon and 1971’s Blue — totemic albums whose artfulness and ubiquity would influence generations of songwriters — Mitchell had grown wary of mounting media scrutiny. Everything from her style choices to romantic partners became the subject of far more gossip column inches than were ever dedicated to the lifestyle minutiae of her male counterparts. In response, she had pulled back, announcing an early retirement from the stage in 1970 and moving to the quiet expanses of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. It was a fruitful change of scenery. Inspired by her proximity to nature and refreshed by the peaceful seclusion, she began constructing the songs that would become For The Roses. This respite thrust Mitchell into a remarkably fertile creative period, yielding a run of albums — 1972’s For The Roses, 1974’s Court And Spark, and 1975’s The Hissing Of Summer Lawns — that would simultaneously expand and refine the scope of her music. Her adventurous, intricate arrangements and growing formidability as a bandleader injected these songs with a clarity of purpose, a potent muscularity, and a sense of possibility — it is among the most exciting eras of a near peerless career. Here’s a demo version of “Help Me,” which would go on to become one of Joni Mitchell’s most well-known and successful songs in its final form on the Court & Spark record in 1974: Click here to shop Joni Mitchell in our Rock Cellar Store (Archives, Vol. 3 pre-orders coming soon) Click here to pick up Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 2: The Asylum Albums (1972-1975), originally released in Sept. 2022 The full track listing for the 5-CD set of The Asylum Years (1972-1975): CD 1: Graham Nash David Crosby Session Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, CA, Dec. 13, 1971 1. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire 2. For The Roses For The Roses Demos A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, late 1971 / early 1972 3. Banquet 4. Lesson In Survival 5. Like Veils Said Lorraine 6. See You Sometime Live at Carnegie Hall New York City, NY, Feb. 23, 1972 7. This Flight Tonight 8. Electricity 9. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire 10. Big Yellow Taxi 11. Blue 12. For Free 13. Banquet 14. All I Want 15. Intro to A Case Of You 16. A Case Of You 17. Intro to Carey 18. Carey 19. Lesson In Survival 20. Woodstock 21. Intro to You Turn Me On I’m A Radio 22. You Turn Me On I’m A Radio 23. Intro to For The Roses 24. For The Roses CD 2: Live at Carnegie Hall [cont.] New York City, NY, Feb. 23, 1972 1. Both Sides Now 2. My Old Man 3. Intro to The Circle Game 4. The Circle Game For The Roses Early Sessions Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, CA, Apr. 16-21, 1972 5. Medley: Bony Moronie/Summertime Blues/You Never Can Tell – with James Taylor 6. Electricity – with James Taylor 7. You Turn Me On I’m A Radio – with Neil Young & The Stray Gators 8. See You Sometime (early version with bass & drums) 9. You Turn Me On I’m A Radio (early version with bass & drums) Live at Royal Festival Hall London, England, May 5, 1972 10. Intro to Judgement Of The Moon And Stars (Ludwig’s Tune) 11. Judgement Of The Moon And Stars (Ludwig’s Tune) For The Roses Sessions A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Jul-Aug, 1972 12. Blonde In The Bleachers (alternate guitar mix) 13. Let The Wind Carry Me (piano/vocal mix) 14. Barangrill (guitar/vocal mix) 15. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire (sax guide vocal) 16. Sunrise Raga 17. Twisted (early alternate version) James Bay Benefit Concert Paul Sauvé Arena, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Apr. 15, 1973 18. Intro to Big Yellow Taxi 19. Big Yellow Taxi CD 3: Court And Spark Demos A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1973 1. Piano Suite: a. Down To You b. Court And Spark c. Car On A Hill d. Down To You 2. People’s Parties 3. Help Me 4. Just LIke This Train 5. Raised On Robbery 6. Trouble Child Wild Tales [Graham Nash] Session Rudy Records Studios, San Francisco, CA, Aug. 25, 1973 7. Raised On Robbery (early working version) 8. Raised On Robbery – with Neil Young & The Santa Monica Flyers Court And Spark Sessions A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Sep.-Oct., 1973 9. People’s Parties (early alternate take) 10. Trouble Child (early alternate take) 11. Car On A Hill (early alternate take) 12. Down To You (alternate version) 13. The Same Situation (alt vocal/piano mix) 14. Bonderia Live at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Los Angeles, CA, Mar. 3, 1974 15. Introduction 16. This Flight Tonight – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 17. You Turn Me On I’m A Radio – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 18. Free Man In Paris – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 19. The Same Situation – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 20. Just Like This Train – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express CD 4: Live at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion [cont.] Los Angeles, CA, Mar. 3, 1974 1. Rainy Night House – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 2. Woodstock – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 3. Cactus Tree 4. Big Yellow Taxi 5. Intro to People’s Parties 6. People’s Parties 7. All I Want 8. A Case Of You 9. Intro to For The Roses 10. For The Roses 11. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire – with Tom Scott 12. Blue 13. For Free – with Tom Scott 14. Trouble Child – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 15. Help Me – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express 16. Car On A Hill – with Tom Scott & The L.A. Express CD 5: Live at New Victoria Theatre London, England, Apr. 22, 1974 1. Intro to Jericho 2. Jericho Live at Wembley Stadium London, England, Sep. 14, 1974 3. Woman Of Heart And Mind The Hissing Of Summer Lawns Demos A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, 1975 4. In France They Kiss On Main Street 5. Edith And The Kingpin 6. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow 7. Shades Of Scarlet Conquering 8. The Boho Dance 9. Harry’s House 10. Dreamland The Hissing Of Summer Lawns Sessions A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, 1975 11. In France They Kiss On Main Street (alternate version) 12. The Jungle Line (guitar/alternate vocal) 13. Edith And The Kingpin (alternate version) 14. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow (alternate version) 15. Shades Of Scarlet Conquering (alternate version) 16. The Boho Dance (alternate version) 17. Dreamland (early alternate band version)
