I have one piece of music, since 1997, and I don't see it having lyrics. Where does it go in this world? So I haven't recorded it.
Interpretation
Joni Mitchell reflects on the unique nature of her music that lacks lyrics and its place in the world.
In this quote, Joni Mitchell expresses her contemplation about a piece of music she has created since 1997, noting that it does not have lyrics and questioning its significance or placement in the music world. Her hesitation to record this music reveals the deep emotional and artistic connection she has with it, suggesting that some creations might transcend conventional forms of expression and challenge our understanding of what music can be.
In practice
In an interview, an artist might say, 'As Joni Mitchell reflected on her music, it made me think about the pieces we create that may not fit traditional molds.'
There's a man who's been out sailing In a decade full of dreams And he takes her to a schooner And he treats her like a queen Bearing beads from California With their amber stones and green He has called her from the harbor He has kissed her with his freedom He has heard her off to starboard In the breaking and the breathing Of the water weeds While she was busy being free
Unlike some of my peers, I haven't really hit a writer's block. When I hit a block I just paint, which is an old crop rotation trick.
This is a nation that has lost the ability to be self-critical, and that makes a lie out of the freedoms.
You wake up one day and suddenly realize that your youth is behind you, even though you're still young at heart.
I have an aversion to being mislabeled. Here's a label I'd accept: I'm an 'individual.' I'm someone who can't follow, and doesn't want to lead.
What I do is unusual: chordal movements that have never been used before, changing keys and modalities mid-song.
I have always held the old-fashioned opinion that the primary object of work of fiction should be to tell a story.
The artist's role isn't to tell people how to feel, but reflect.
Of all the artists who emerged in the '80s, I think perhaps Cindy Sherman is the most important.
I write screenplays in the middle of the night.
You get older and come to the conclusion that it's a great gig making music. Even if you turn into an old gnarly fart, no one cares what you look like if you write good songs - the only gig is to sing well and perform.
Skill in writing frees you to write what you want to write. It may also show you what you want to write. Craft enables art.
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