Blue, songs are like tattoos
You know I’ve been to sea before
— from, “Blue,” by Joni Mitchell
You may find other opening lines as good as this one but you will never find better ones. The way Joni manifests the first WORD sets the tone. There is nothing more you need to know about what comes after. Joni is a complete package. To her I bow in awe and gratitude for breathing being into the language of (lost) love like no other. I’ve owned the album since around 1978 and cherish it, playing it when I need a friend who understands.
“Blue” is the eponymous title. The album is Canadian artist Joni Mitchell’s 4th studio album and was released on June 22, 1971. (Hard to believe over 50 years ago!) The album was written by, and produced entirely by, Joni in Hollywood, CA. Per wiki, it was created just after her breakup with Graham Nash and during an intense relationship with James Taylor.
The Blue album, there’s hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world and I couldn’t pretend in my life to be strong. Or to be happy. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either. — Joni Mitchell, talking about the Blue album
Interestingly it is the 5th track on the album, the last song on side 1.
Personnel:
Joni — production, Appalachian dulcimer, guitar, piano & vocals
Henry Lewy – engineer
Gary Burden – art director
Tim Considine – cover photography
James Taylor – guitar (on 4 songs, but not on Blue [bnob])
Russ Kunkel – drums (bnob)
Stephen Stills – bass & guitar (bnob)
Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar (bnob)
Blue
Blue, songs are like tattoos
You know I've been to sea before
Crown and anchor me
Or let me sail away
Hey Blue, there's a song for you
Ink on a pin
Underneath the skin
An empty space to fill in
Well there're so many sinking now
You've got to keep thinking
You can make it thru these waves
Acid, booze, and ass
Needles, guns, and grass
Lots of laughs, lots of laughs
Everybody's saying that hell's the hippest way to go
Well I don't think so
But I'm gonna take a look around it though
Blue, I love you
Blue, here is a shell for you
Inside you'll hear a sigh
A foggy lullaby
There is your song from me
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Album: Blue
Released: 1971
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. Jim says find:
a song with a great opening line (prompt suggested by Max of PowerPop. )
Tao Talk 
Yes a fantastic opening to a wonderful Joni Mitchell song Li.
the whole album Blue was incredible.☺️❤️
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Christine, I knew you would know and love this one. It’s one of her best albums <3
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That is a great opening line! Lovely song Lisa. This one I know pretty well. Her voice is fantastic on this.
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Max, if you are ever going to seek out a whole album of hers, you might choose this one. EVERY song is as good as this one.
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This one and Court and Spark I know a little but I need to know more of it.
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Another great one.
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Good morning Lisa I am absolutely adore Joni and this wonderful song …you are so right about this songs opening it’s cathartic. Well you picked a winner 💜💜💜
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Willow so happy you know it and love it <3
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Oh! Really , really do 💜💜🌟
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A beautiful song, from one of my all time favourite albums. Great choice for the theme 👍
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Clive, it is a winner in all ways, you’re right. Thanks much :)
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This song was a new one for me- but I have to agree with you- her delivery of not only the first line- but really the whole song was brilliant.
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V, happy to introduce the song to you. Yes, it is :)
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I am so glad to hear you relate to this issue on those terms as so do I thus the poem. Thank you, Li.
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I just put that on the wrong comment of yours- sorry!
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Wonderful selection, Lisa by an artist that put oy all out there on this song and album. My favorite lines in this song are:
Acid, booze, and ass
Needles, guns, and grass
Lots of laughs, lots of laughs
This is a clear indicator of what she was going through at this time in her life.
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Thanks much, Jim. Yes, exactly, and dealing with a junkie partner would make anyone blue.
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Nicely written, Lisa.
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Thanks, Nancy.
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So glad we got to hear this again – Lisa I picked it for the title song of an album a couple of weeks back but you can never get enough of Joni ❤️
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Oh really, Ange??? Sorry I missed it. Will have to look back in Jim’s SLS weeks. You are right, you can never get enough of her.
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🙌💞🙌
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Blue is less sophisticated than her later stuff, but it holds up for emotional impact.
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Graham, totally agree. She went way more towards jazz later.
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I’ve used this song many times as inspiration, and Joni’s other songs as well. Always worth a listen. (K)
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Same here, K. I almost used “All I Want” but like the first lines better with Blue.
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That’s one of my favorites too. Along with “Black Crow”.
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We all benefit from Joni’s vulnerability. I agree one of the great song openings.
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Glad you agree, Randy.
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