Music from Love Actually, Part 2 – Joni Mitchell and “Both Sides Now” (2024)
Well, what I hadn’t realised earlier this year when I decided to have a nostalgic revisitation of the “tracks of my years”, was that when we got to Christmas it would all get a bit emotional. Emotional partly because it has, I think we all agree, been oneof those years; emotional because I am reminded of all the people who are no longer with us especially my darling dad who crops up on these pages often; emotional because this is the first yearmy daughter won’t be with us (I hadn’t considered that at some point we would have to share her with her boyfriend’s parents) and finally; emotional because of all the seasonal music my fellow-bloggers are posting.
But this is only Tuesday so still time to pull myself together, once I get thiseffort done and dusted. The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that last time, the title of my post was “Music from Love Actually, Part 1”.This then, is to be Part 2.
Since watching thefilm Love Actuallylast week I have since re-watched it (overkill maybe), just to remind myself of how significant a role today’s featured song plays in the storyline. Those of you who know the film well will also know that Emma Thompson‘s character, who is married to Harry (played by Alan Rickman RIP), has inadvertently found a beautiful gold necklace she fully expects to be given as a present for Christmas. Upon opening the square shaped box with expectant glee, she discovers that it is instead a Joni Mitchell CD, a great present as she is a big fan, but in that split second she realises that the gold necklace was for someone else, and she has to quickly extricate herself from the room. An emotional(that word again) scene then takes place where she has to pull herself together before re-emerging to join the family.
Throughout this scene in the bedroom, we hear the plaintive sounds of a more mature Joni Mitchell sing Both Sides Now from the album of the same name, released in the year 2000. Maybe it’s just because I’m a lady of a certain age, but it gets me every time. Like Emma’s character in the film, my life for many years was one of putting family first. I ran the school board, organised fund-raisers, took my daughter (and all the kids whose parents worked full-time) to after-school activities,completedcourses with the OU and was chief cook and bottle-washer. If I had a pound for every time someone told me I was lucky that I “didn’t work”, I would be a very rich woman. Anyway my point is that poor Emma found herself in the situation where Harry had, she felt, made a fool of her and the life she had chosen. Fortunately for me Mr WIAA is self-employed, and as I have acted as his (unpaid) secretary for years, if anyone was going to get a gold necklace it was going to be me (but I didn’t, because I perhaps stupidlykeep a tight control on the finances)!
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell:
But of course most people will know the song Both Sides Now from the 1967Judy Collins version (there it is again, my favourite year).Joni had written the song earlier that year inspired by a passagefrom a novel by Saul Bellow.A quote from her goes as follows:
“I was reading Saul Bellow’s “Henderson the Rain King” on a plane and early in the book Henderson the Rain King is also up in a plane. He’s on his way to Africa and he looks down and sees these clouds. I put down the book, looked out the window and saw clouds too, and I immediately started writing the song. I had no idea that the song would become as popular as it did.”
Judy Collinswon a Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance in 1969 and it has become one ofher signature songs. What I find remarkable is that I wrote very recently about how Judy Collins recorded Leonard Cohen’ssong Suzanne in 1966 and that it was she who persuaded the reluctant poet Cohen, to get out on stage to perform his own songs. Here we are again with Judy being the catalyst who perhaps made a couple of Canadian songwriters, international artists of great renown in their own right.
Very few of my real-life friends know about this “place” but one who does told me that she liked it, because it wasn’t one of those depressing blogs – Oh dear, I think I may have just disappointed! Hopefully got it all out of my system now but oh my, listening to the mature Joni Mitchell again, really tugs at the heartstrings.
I have decided that on Christmas Day, as darling daughter will not be with us, we will have a festive lunch and then take food out for the homeless. Mr WIAA is not convinced we will find them, as they will probably already be well catered for, but I have my doubts – Even up here in The Highlands, last weekend we had girls my daughter’s age sleeping in doorways, and in 2016 that just can’t be right.
Tomorrow isthe winter solstice, wherethe day is the shortest of the year and the night the longest – We are at the cusp of something astronomical, looking at both sides now, one side has been getting darker and one will be getting lighter. Very apt song therefore for this post.
I will return in a cheerier moodbefore the big day.Merry Christmas!
Both Sides Now Lyrics (Song by Joni Mitchell)
Rows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in the air And feather canyons everywhere, I’ve looked at clouds that way.
But now they only block the sun, They rain and they snow on everyone So many things I would have done, But clouds got in my way.
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down and still somehow It’s cloud illusions I recall I really don’t know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels, The dizzy dancing way that you feel As every fairy tale comes real, I’ve looked at love that way.
But now it’s just another show, You leave ’em laughing when you go And if you care, don’t let them know, Don’t give yourself away.
I’ve looked at love from both sides now From give and take and still somehow It’s love’s illusions I recall I really don’t know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud, To say “I love you” right out loud Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I’ve looked at life that way.
Oh but now old friends they’re acting strange, They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed Well something’s lost, but something’s gained In living every day.
I’ve looked at life from both sides now From win and lose and still somehow It’s life’s illusions I recall I really don’t know life at all
I’ve looked at life from both sides now From up and down, and still somehow It’s life’s illusions I recall I really don’t know life at all
It’s life’s illusions I recall I really don’t know life I really don’t know life at all
Author: Alyson
Whenever I hear an old song on the radio, I am immediately transported back to those days. I know I'm not alone here and want to record those memories for myself and for the people in them. 57 years ago the song "Alfie" was written by my favourite songwriting team, Bacharach and David. The opening line to that song was, "What's it all about?" and I'm hoping by writing this blog, I might find the answer to that question.View all posts by Alyson
Iconic singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell announced she will remove her music from Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan's popular podcast she believes spreads misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines. Mitchell's move follows Neil Young's decision to pull his catalog off the streaming platform for the same reason.
There are two instances of switched music between the UK and US versions of the film. In the UK version, the montage introducing the office Christmas party is set to "Too Lost in You" by Sugababes, while the US version of the film replaces it with "The Trouble With Love Is", performed by.
Olson moved into the mainstream with her role as Joanna Anderson in the 2003 holiday film Love Actually, singing the song "All I Want for Christmas Is You".
Among the entertainers who performed at the concert: James Taylor, Brandi Carlile — who is poised to sing with Mitchell at a pair of shows in June, Cyndi Lauper, Graham Nash, Annie Lennox, Diana Krall, Herbie Hanco*ck, Angelique Kidjo, Ledisi and Marcus Mumford.
When asked about the possibility in an interview, Mitchell responded by saying: “I've never heard Taylor's music. I've seen her. Physically, she looks similarly small-hipped and high cheekbones. I can see why they cast her.
“I've decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” The Canadian singer-songwriter writes in a post on her website. “Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”
For Young, personally, the decision to pull his music from Spotify will cost him about $754,000 annually, by Billboard's calculations. In 2021, Mitchell's recording catalog earned $373,000 from Spotify revenues, Billboard estimates. That's 12% of her total $3.23 million in label revenue for sales and streams.
Musicians Joni Mitchell, left, and Herbie Hanco*ck perform at a 2008 concert in Los Angeles. On Jan. 28, Mitchell became the first major music figure to side with Young by moving to scrub her catalog from Spotify. “I've decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” Mitchell said in a statement.
In recent weeks, a handful of notable artists have pulled their music from the streaming juggernaut, blaming Spotify for spreading false information about coronavirus via the podcast. The ordeal began when Neil Young pulled his catalog, which has prompted a few other well-recognized acts to do the same.
For her role as Joanna (Sam's crush) in Love Actually (2003), she does all of her own singing in "All I Want for Christmas Is You" at the Christmas concert. She had such an amazing voice that writer and director Richard Curtis had it edited so it sounded more like a child singing.
The oldest known love song is the love song of Shu-Sin, which was discovered in the library of Ashurbanipal in Mesopotamia. It's about both romantic and erotic love. Prior to the discovery of the love song of Shu-Sin, Solomon's Song of Songs from the Bible was considered the oldest love song.
Her singing was so good that the film's producers had to ask her to tone it down to make it more believable. Love Actually was the first film she auditioned for and it threw her into a world that was very different to the one she grew up in.
Aurélia is a Portuguese housekeeper working at the cottage where Jamie retreats to after his fiancée cheated on him. Aurélia doesn't speak a word of English and initially Jamie doesn't pay her much attention.
And she reprised the role of Joanna for a 2017 charity special, Red Nose Day Actually, in which she got back together with some of her Love Actually co-stars, including Brodie Sangster, Hugh Grant, and Liam Neeson. These days, Olivia Olson is a singer-songwriter and still lives in Los Angeles where she grew up.
In Love Actually, Thomas Brodie-Sangster played the role of Sam, who is around 10 years old and is mourning the death of his beloved mother. He lives with his stepfather Daniel, who tries his best to take care of young Sam.
Many devoted fans never thought this day would come again after Mitchell's brain aneurysm – an abnormal swelling in an artery in the brain – which left her unable to speak or walk, much less play the guitar.
For the most part, the mother and daughter duo appear to kept their relationship fairly private over the years. Joni is currently the grandmother to Kilauren's two kids Marlin and Daisy Claire Gibbs.
Most of her fortune originates from her extensive career in the music industry, spanning over 40 years. Throughout her career, Mitchell has recorded 19 studio albums, from which she has garnered over 7 million in record sales in the USA, as per RIAA. Meanwhile, in the UK, she has sold over 1 million records.
Though she was invited to Woodstock, she stayed behind at the urging of her manager David Geffen, who was afraid she'd miss her scheduled appearance on the Dick Cavett Show the following Monday.
Joni Mitchell is not a technically brilliant guitarist, but she is one of the most inventive players of all time. What makes Mitchell a standout is her creative use of tuning.
Much before she was diagnosed with brain aneurysm, Mitchell had self-diagnosed herself with a condition called 'Morgellons Disease. ' During her interview with LA Times in 2010, the singer spoke about the disease.
Robert Plant, as many others were at the time, was utterly smitten with Joni Mitchell — and who can blame him. To this day, the legacy of Mitchell's unflinching and perenially inventive discography continues to loom over the landscape of modern pop.
SASKATOON - It's a good thing Joni Mitchell is not a vegetarian because, in many ways, the singer-songwriter owes her newly revealed "career" as a visual artist to a wealthy and somewhat eccentric Saskatoon family of cow killers by the name of Mendel.
By tuning down her guitars, Joni was able to create a fuller, more vibrant sound, perfect for her fingerstyle playing. When she needed it, open tuning also gave her a more mellow sound, taking the edge off bright notes without changing key. Another element to Joni's unique style was the humble capo.
Mitchell's last full live show was at the Wiltern in Los Angeles on 13 November 2002. She last appeared at the Newport folk festival in 1969 on the same bill as Arlo Guthrie and the Everly Brothers. Since having a brain aneurysm in 2015, Mitchell has made a steady return to public life.
Spotify Wrapped 2022: The highest-earning album goes to… Bad Bunny's Un Verano Sin Ti takes the coveted top spot as most streamed album, as well as highest-earning. A combined total play count of 10.2 billion adds an eye-popping $42,383,968 to the Puerto Rican star's potential wealth.
For instance, based on my knowledge, as an artist, you will make: The average price per stream is $0.004. $4 for every 1,000 streams. $4000 for each million streams.
Spotify pays artists between $0.003 - $0.005 per stream on average. That works out as an approx revenue split of 70/30 - so that's 70% to the artist/rights holders and 30% to Spotify.
In January 2022, Neil Young called for all of his music to be pulled from Spotify. His motivation was a matter of principle. The singer-songwriter was outraged by the streaming platform's support of The Joe Rogan Experience, which was responsible for spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccination.
The boycott against Spotify started with Canadian legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, followed by Crosby, Stills and Nash and musician and podcaster India Arie. They're troubled by the service's star podcaster, Joe Rogan, who they say has spread misinformation about COVID-19 on his show, The Joe Rogan Experience.
Swift in 2014 removed her entire catalogue from the streaming site after feeling that they did not value her art. The move was to bring light to how she felt about her own music as well as that of her musical colleagues.
Joni Mitchell joins Neil Young in pulling music from Spotify
Iconic singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell announced she will remove her music from Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan's popular podcast she believes spreads misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines.
In February, artists such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell told Spotify to pull their music from the platform because of Covid comments made on Rogan's show. “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young said at the time. Other performers such as Crosby, Stills and Nash and India Arie followed suit.
Olson moved into the mainstream with her role as Joanna Anderson in the 2003 holiday film Love Actually, singing the song "All I Want for Christmas Is You".
One of the best scenes of the film comes when Juliet and Peter are treated to a flashmob of sorts at their wedding, with a surprise performance of 'All You Need is Love'. The wedding singer was played by Lynden David Hall.
Meanwhile, Mitchell used him as a muse too, and he was the inspiration behind 'See You Sometime', which appeared on 1972's For the Roses. Famously, during their inseparable time as a couple, Mitchell and Taylor performed for the BBC at London's Paris Theatre in 1970 and showed off their love to the nation.
Nighy is perhaps best-known to international audiences for his memorable performance as washed-up pop singer Billy Mack in Love Actually (2003), which won him a BAFTA for best supporting actor.
For her role as Joanna (Sam's crush) in Love Actually (2003), she does all of her own singing in "All I Want for Christmas Is You" at the Christmas concert. She had such an amazing voice that writer and director Richard Curtis had it edited so it sounded more like a child singing.
Can Olivia Olson sing? Yes, Olivia can sing and performed in the Love Actually film. Olivia also released her very first studio album last year, titled Nowhere Land. Record companies tried to sign her following her film appearance.
Yes, Adam Sandler did sing in "The Wedding Singer." Indeed, thanks to both his credits as a performer on the soundtrack (via IMDb) and the soundtrack's own tracklist, it's clear that Robbie Hart's singing voice and overall musical talents were provided entirely by Adam Sandler himself.
Joni's voice was husky, sweet, high and bell-like, sometimes all at once. She made leaping up to her head voice a high art…and it wasn't perfect, but boy, it was absolutely her.
When Love Actually premiered in 2003, the ensemble rom-com featured one very special supermodel cameo—Claudia Schiffer—as a potential love match for Liam Neeson.
Luke's Mews off All Saint's Road in Notting Hill, Chelsea Bridge, the OXO Tower, London City Hall, Poplar Road in Herne Hill, Elliott School in Pullman Gardens, Putney, Heathrow Airport and the Marseille Airport. Scenes set in 10 Downing Street were filmed at Shepperton Studios.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster was born on 16 May 1990 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), The Maze Runner (2014) and Love Actually (2003)
Introduction: My name is Rev. Leonie Wyman, I am a colorful, tasty, splendid, fair, witty, gorgeous, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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