Joni Mitchell

Listen to Joni Mitchell cover "House of the Rising Sun" in 1963, her earliest known recording

The legendary Joni Mitchell has announced a series of archival box sets called Joni Mitchell Archives, and the first one — Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963 To 1967) — comes out October 30 (pre-order). It “features nearly six hours of unreleased home, live, and radio recordings that flow chronologically to paint a rich portrait of Mitchell’s rapid growth as a performer and songwriter during the period leading up to her debut album. This treasure trove of unheard audio includes 29 original Mitchell compositions that have never been released before with her vocals.” It also includes a 40-page booklet with liner notes that include conversations between Joni and Cameron Crowe.

The first song released is a rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” that Joni recorded in 1963 (at 19 years old) for CFQC AM, a radio station in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. (That’s one year before The Animals’ version came out, for what it’s worth.) It’s apparently her earliest known recording, and it’s a hauntingly gorgeous rendition of the song that has all the same charms of her better-known recordings from later on. Listen:

In addition to “House of the Rising Sun,” the extensive box also includes a rendition of the folk standard “John Hardy” as well as several early original songs, many of which would end up on her late ’60s and early ’70s albums. Here’s the full tracklist:

JONI MITCHELL ARCHIVES VOL. 1: THE EARLY YEARS (1963 TO 1967) 5CD

Disc One
Radio Station CFQC AM, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (ca. 1963)

“House Of The Rising Sun”
“John Hardy”
“Dark As A Dungeon”
“Tell Old Bill”
“Nancy Whiskey”
“Anathea”
“Copper Kettle”
“Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)”
“Molly Malone”
Live at the Half Beat: Yorkville, Toronto, Canada (October 21, 1964)
First Set

Introduction
“Nancy Whiskey”
Intro to “The Crow On The Cradle”
“The Crow On The Cradle”
“Pastures Of Plenty”
“Every Night When The Sun Goes In”
Intro to “Sail Away”
“Sail Away”
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Second Set
“John Hardy”
“Dark As A Dungeon”
Intro to “Maids When You’re Young Never Wed An Old Man”
“Maids When You’re Young Never Wed An Old Man”
“The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow”
“Deportee (Plane Crash At Los Gatos)”
Joni’s Parents’ House: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (February 1965)
“The Long Black Rifle”
“Ten Thousand Miles”
“Seven Daffodils”
Disc Two
Myrtle Anderson Birthday Tape: Detroit, MI (1965)

“Urge For Going”
“Born To Take The Highway”
“Here Today And Gone Tomorrow”
Jac Holzman Demo: Detroit, MI (August 24, 1965)

“What Will You Give Me”
“Let It Be Me”
“The Student Song”
“Day After Day”
“Like The Lonely Swallow”
Let’s Sing Out, CBC TV: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada (October 4, 1965)

“Favorite Colour”
“Me And My Uncle”
Home Demo: Detroit, MI (ca. 1966)

“Sad Winds Blowin’”
Let’s Sing Out, CBC TV: Laurentian University, London, ON, Canada (October 24, 1966)

“Just Like Me”
“Night In The City”
Live at the 2nd Fret: Philadelphia, PA (November 1966)

“Brandy Eyes”
Intro to “Urge For Going”
“Urge For Going”
Intro to “What’s The Story Mr. Blue”
“What’s The Story Mr. Blue”
“Eastern Rain”
Intro to “The Circle Game”
“The Circle Game”
Intro to “Night In The City”
“Night In The City”
Disc Three
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA, (March 12, 1967)

Intro to “Both Sides Now”
“Both Sides Now”
Intro to “The Circle Game”
“The Circle Game”
Live at the 2nd Fret: Philadelphia, PA (March 17, 1967)
Second Set

“Morning Morgantown”
“Born To Take The Highway”
Intro to “Song To A Seagull”
“Song To A Seagull”
Third Set

“Winter Lady”
Intro to “Both Sides Now”
“Both Sides Now”
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA (March 19, 1967)

Intro to “Eastern Rain”
“Eastern Rain”
Intro to “Blue On Blue”
“Blue On Blue”
“A Record Of My Changes” – Michael’s Birthday Tape: North Carolina (May 1967)

“Gemini Twin”
“Strawflower Me”
“A Melody In Your Name”
“Tin Angel”
“I Don’t Know Where I Stand”
Joni improvising
Folklore, WHAT FM: Philadelphia, PA (May 28, 1967)

Intro to “Sugar Mountain”
“Sugar Mountain”
Disc Four
Home Demo: New York City, NY (ca. June 1967)

“I Had A King”
“Free Darling”
“Conversation”
“Morning Morgantown”
“Dr. Junk”
“Gift Of The Magi”
“Chelsea Morning”
“Michael From Mountains”
“Cara’s Castle”
“Jeremy” (Incomplete)
Live at Canterbury House: Ann Arbor, MI (October 27, 1967)
First Set

“Conversation”
Intro to “Come To The Sunshine”
“Come To The Sunshine”
Intro to “Chelsea Morning”
“Chelsea Morning”
Intro to “Gift Of The Magi”
“Gift Of The Magi”
“Play Little David”
Intro to “The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow”
“The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow”
“I Had A King”
Intro to “Free Darling”
“Free Darling”
Intro to “Cactus Tree”
“Cactus Tree”
Disc Five
Live at Canterbury House: Ann Arbor, MI (October 27, 1967)
Second Set

“Little Green”
Intro to “Marcie”
“Marcie”
Intro to “Ballerina Valerie”
“Ballerina Valerie”
“The Circle Game”
Intro to “Michael From Mountains”
“Michael From Mountains”
“Go Tell The Drummer Man”
Intro to “I Don’t Know Where I Stand”
“I Don’t Know Where I Stand”
Third Set

“A Melody In Your Name”
Intro to “Carnival In Kenora”
“Carnival In Kenora”
“Songs To Aging Children Come”
Intro to “Dr. Junk”
“Dr. Junk”
“Morning Morgantown”
Intro to “Night In The City”
“Night In The City”
“Both Sides Now”
“Urge For Going”

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